Saudi astronauts soar to new heights: A historic journey into space

In a historic moment, the two Saudi astronauts embarked on their journey into space aboard the Falcon 9 rocket. The launch took place at the Kennedy Space Center in the American state of Florida to space.

The crew also included an American astronaut and an American businessman and is set to spend approximately ten days aboard the International Space Station to contribute to scientific research in several priority areas such as health, sustainability, and space technology.

Before reaching the space station, the Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali al-Qarni sent their first message from space, greeting Saudi Arabia's people and leadership. 

At approximately 4:30 pm, the Dragon spacecraft carrying the Saudi astronauts initiated the docking process with the space station.

Afterward, the capsule was opened in preparation for the astronauts' descent, a process that took around two hours.

Once inside the space station, they will remain there for several days, conducting various experiments and carrying out their mission.

After approximately seventeen hours since liftoff, Saudi Arabia's dream of venturing into space has transformed from a slogan, "Saudi Arabia toward space," into a reality: "Saudi Arabia in space."

However, as the Saudi astronauts embark on their mission, the world eagerly anticipates their groundbreaking contributions to scientific discoveries and technological advancements during their stay aboard the International Space Station.