Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister and President of the Higher Council of Space, met in Jeddah on Sunday with the Saudi astronauts Rayana Bernawi, Ali Al-Qarni, Mariam Fardous and Ali Al-Ghamdi before the launch of the Kingdom’s scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Crown Prince welcomed the crew of the scientific mission on board of which are Rayana Bernawi, the first Saudi, Muslim and Arab woman to fly to space, and the first Saudi astronaut, Ali Al-Qarni, to arrive to the ISS, and congratulated them for passing the qualifying program. The Crown Prince also underlined the importance of the space sector as a major pillar in enhancing the Kingdom’s global competitiveness, emphasizing at the same time the significance of space exploration in serving science and humanity. Addressing the astronauts, he noted that they represent the abilities of the Saudi people and their ambitions to play a vital role in innovations and space research to find sustainable solutions for the welfare of humanity. He also noted that the Saudi people are pinning great hopes on Bernawi and Al-Qarni as ambassadors and representatives of the Kingdom at the ISS in a mission that has noble objectives to empower mankind, protect the planet and open new horizons for research in health and sustainable environment. The astronauts expressed pride for their meeting with the Crown Prince, extending their gratitude for his constant support. The historic mission underlines the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting global space exploration efforts, encourage scientific research in the field and enhance the Saudis' knowledge and roles in space programs and technologies as per the Saudi Vision 2030.