Saudi Space Agency
وكالة الفضاء السعودية | |
Agency overview | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | SSA |
Former name | Saudi Space Commission |
Formed | December 27, 2018 |
Type | Space agency |
Jurisdiction | Government of Saudi Arabia |
Headquarters | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
Abdullah Alswaha | |
Chief Executive Officer | Muhammad al-Tamimi |
Owner | Saudi Arabia |
Website | Official English Website |
The Saudi Space Agency (SSA; Arabic: وكالة الفضاء السعودية), previously known as the Saudi Space Commission (SSC), is a Saudi independent government entity established by a royal order on December 27, 2018 and elevated to an agency on June 14, 2023.[1] The agency is chaired by Abdullah Alswaha, the Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology.[2]
On July 17, 2024 it was reported that the Saudi Space Agency signed a space agreement with NASA to collaborate on civilian space research and explorations. This is another step forward on the country's ambition to create a robust space sector.[3]
Spaceflights
[edit]Prior to the establishment of the Saudi Space Agency, the only Saudi astronaut was prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud, who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985 as a Payload Specialist on STS 51-G.
In 2022, the SSA partnered with American private spaceflight company Axiom Space to send two Saudi astronauts, including the first Saudi woman in space, to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon as part of Axiom Mission 2.[4] The astronauts selected were Ali AlQarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, with Ali AlGhamdi and Mariam Fardous as backups.[5]
List of SSA astronauts
[edit]Name |
Selection |
Time in space |
Missions |
---|---|---|---|
Ali AlQarni | 2023 | 9 days, 5 hours and 27 minutes | Axiom Mission 2 |
Rayyanah Barnawi | 2023 | 9 days, 5 hours and 27 minutes | Axiom Mission 2 |
Ali AlGhamdi | 2023 | N/A | Axiom Mission 2 (backup) |
Mariam Fardous | 2023 | N/A | Axiom Mission 2 (backup) |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Obeid, Ghinwa (14 June 2023). "Saudi Space Commission elevated to Saudi Space Agency, expanding Kingdom's ambitions". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "Board Members". ssa.gov.sa. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ "Nasa, Saudi Arabia sign space agreement". gulfnews.com. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ Bell, Jennifer (23 March 2023). "Saudi astronauts to research cancer, cloud seeding, microgravity in space". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "Axiom Space Partners with Saudi Space Commission to Send First Female Saudi Astronaut to Space". Axiom Space. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2024-01-21.