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Saudi Astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al Qarni Have Successfully Launched To Space!
The moment everyone was waiting for successfully happened earlier this morning as Saudi’s two iconic faces Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al Qarni launched aboard the Space X Falcon 9 from NASA’s Kennedy Sports Center, Florida, USA.
The astronauts launched at around 1:37am GST and will join the ISS in after a 16-hour journey
#Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Alqarni are smiling and waving while heading to the Dragon spacecraft that will take them to the International Space Station (#ISS).#KSA2Space #SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/sOGB54RRNk
— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) May 21, 2023
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The astronauts will soon join UAE’s Sultan Al Neyadi who has been aboard the ISS for weeks!
Following in Prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud’s pioneering footsteps, 2 Saudi astronauts will launch on their 1st mission to the ISS and for 1st time ever, 3 Arab astronauts will be in space together. As we wish them a great launch, here’s a recent view of Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 I took. pic.twitter.com/T33R59iA10
— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) May 21, 2023
The crew are expected to land at the International Space Station on Monday at around 6 p.m GST, where the crew will join Sultan Al-Neyadi! Sultan is also aboard the ISS for a six-month mission and will mark the first time in history where astronauts from two Arab nations will meet aboard the ISS!
Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud was also at the launch and was absolutely ecstatic!
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Both astronauts even addressed the public with the most heartfelt thank you
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