Rayyanah Barnawi is also the first Saudi woman to fly in space and first Arab woman to orbit Earth.
During the next week at the space station, Whitson will assist Shoffner, AlQarni and Barnawi proceed through their planned science and outreach programs. The Ax-2 crew plans to conduct more than 20 different experiments, including research into stem cells, DNA-based nanomaterials and cancer countermeasures.
"We're going to be doing three education awareness experiments with the kids," said AlQarni during a pre-launch press conference."It's going to be a live event, which is going to be amazing for them because it's going to be a huge opportunity to compare the results that they had [on] the ground with the ones we are going to have aboard the ISS.
Barnawi has a Saudi flag and packed earrings from her grandmother, who was not able to attend her launch but gave her blessing for Barnawi to fly into space. Whitson has again flown a necklace that she wore at her wedding and then flew on her three previous missions. Shoffner chose something that represents his life-long dream of flying in space.
"When I was eight years old, I built a model of the Gemini spacecraft. It had little astronauts in it that could come out and I happen to still have one from 1963. So one of those little guys —Axiom Space patch for the Axiom-2 mission.
Argentina Últimas Noticias, Argentina Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
SpaceX to perform Starship engine test ahead of second test flightThe private space firm rolled its Starship prototype, Ship 25, out to a suborbital pad ahead of a key pre-launch engine test.
Leer más »
Excitement builds for Ax-2 SpaceX launch that will send 1st Saudi woman to spaceAx-2, set to launch on Sunday (May 21), will notch a number of firsts — including the first private orbital mission to be led by a woman.
Leer más »
Elon Musk's SpaceX and Italy's Unipol join forces to help Italians hit by floodingElon Musk's SpaceX and Unipol Gruppo agreed to join forces to help people hit by flooding in northern Italy connect to the Internet, facilitating rescue operations, the Italian insurer said on Saturday.
Leer más »
SpaceX launching Saudi astronauts on private flight to space stationSpaceX's next private flight to the International Space Station is awaiting takeoff
Leer más »
What time is the SpaceX Ax-2 private astronaut launch for Axiom Space?Liftoff of SpaceX's Axiom Space Ax-2 mission is at 5:37 p.m. EDT (2137 GMT). Here's all the timing you need to know.
Leer más »
SpaceX launching Saudi astronauts on private flight to space stationSpaceX's next private flight to the International Space Station is awaiting takeoff.
Leer más »