RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi, Ali Al-Qarni, Mariam Firdous and Ali Al-Ghamdi ahead of the launch of the Kingdom’s scientific mission to the International Space Station. Astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission, Axiom Space’s second all-private astronaut mission to the ISS in May. Barnawi will be the first Muslim, Saudi and Arab woman in space, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The crown prince affirmed that the astronauts represent the capabilities and aspirations of the Saudi people in contributing to innovations and space research to find sustainable solutions for the good of humanity. He also said that the astronauts are ambassadors and representatives of the Kingdom on the ISS in a mission to empower people, protect the planet and open new horizons through research to be conducted at the station in the fields of health and environmental sustainability. Barnawi and Al-Qarni said that they are fully ready for this historic mission, looking forward to leaving a mark in the field of space and enriching scientific experiments that serve humanity. Firdous and Al-Ghamdi will be assisting Barnawi and Al-Qarni from the ground station. Liftoff aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for 10:43 p.m. ET on May 8 (05:43 a.m. KSA) from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The four-member crew will travel to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule and spend 10 days aboard the orbiting space station. In 1985, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, an air force pilot, took part in a US-organized space voyage, becoming the first Saudi in space.