Saudi US astronauts splash down on return from space station
Space
Saudi, US astronauts splash down on return from space station
Saudi Arabias Rayyanah Barnawi, a biomedical scientist in cancer research, has become the first Arab woman sent into orbit.
In this image taken from a video broadcast by SpaceX, crew members wave after the SpaceX Dragon capsule splashed down into the Gulf of Mexico on May 30, 2023 [SpaceX via AP]
Published On 31 May 2023
31 May 2023
A private space flight carrying a team of two Saudi and two American astronauts including the first Arab woman sent into orbit has splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico after a research mission on board the International Space Station (ISS).
The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the team parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Panama City, Florida, on Tuesday night after a 12-hour re-entry flight after 10 days in orbit.
The splashdown was carried live by a joint webcast presented by SpaceX and the company behind the mission, Axiom Space.
The return to Earth concluded the second space station mission organised, equipped and trained entirely at private expense by Axiom, a seven-year-old Houston-based venture headed by NASAs former ISS programme manager.
Splashdown of Dragon confirmed welcome back to Earth, @AstroPeggy, @JohnPShoffner, @AstroAli11, and @Astro_Rayyanah
The Axiom 2 crew
was led by retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, 63, who holds the US record for most time spent in orbit with 665 days in space over three long-duration missions to the ISS, including 10 spacewalks. She now serves as Axioms director of human spaceflight.
That was a phenomenal ride. We really enjoyed all of it, Whitson radioed to mission controllers moments after splashdown.
Ax-2s designated pilot was John Shoffner, 67, an aviator, race car driver and investor from Alaska.
Rounding out the crew as mission specialists were the first two astronauts from Saudi Arabia to fly on board a private spacecraft Ali Alqarni, 31, a fighter pilot for the Royal Saudi Air Force; and Rayyanah Barnawi, 34, a biomedical scientist in cancer stem cell research.
Barnawi wiped away tears as she wrapped up her experiments and prepared to leave the space station.
Every story comes to an end and this is only the beginning of a new era for our country and our region, she said on Monday.
Barnawi is the first woman from the Arab world ever launched into Earth orbit and the first Saudi woman to fly in space.
LIVE: After more than a week of science, outreach, and on-orbit activities, the all-private astronaut crew of #Ax2 is boarding their @SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft to return to Earth. Hatch closure is scheduled for 9:10am ET (1310 UTC): https://t.co/z1RgZwQkWS
Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 6:28 am