Sultan Al Neyadi prepares to welcome Saudi astronauts on space mission

Two Saudi citizens are scheduled to blast off to the International Space Station on May 22

Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al Qarni, with their crew Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner pose for photo ahead of their mission to the International Space Station from Florida in this photo released on May 20, 2023. Saudi Press Agency

The Axiom 2 crew is launching to the ISS on May 21, 5.37pm ET (May 22, 12.37am GST), for an eight-day trip. Saudi Press Agency

Saudi astronaut Ali Al Qarni in a Tesla vehicle during a launch dress rehearsal on May 20, 2023. AFP / Axiom Space

From left, Axiom 2 crew members Ali Al Qarni of Saudi Arabia, Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner of the US and Rayyanah Barnawi of Saudi Arabia. All photos: Axiom Space, unless stated otherwise

Ms Barnawi in her SpaceX suit. The crew will travel to the International Space Station for an eight-day trip on May 22

Mr Al Qarni gets suited up for spaceflight

Ms Barnawi trains inside a mock-up of the ISS

Mr Al Qarni learns about how the crew will drink water on the ISS

The Saudi astronauts train with American crewmates Ms Whitson and Mr Shoffner

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Ms Barnawi. Reuters

The crew members on the launch tower at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida

Mr Al Qarni during a training session for his trip to the ISS

Ms Barnawi trains for the mission

The crew hang patches celebrating their mission before the launch

Ms Barnawi trains with Ms Whitson

A lively demonstration during a crew training session

The UAE's Sultan Al Neyadi and fellow crew members on board the International Space Station are preparing to welcome four astronauts arriving next week, including two from Saudi Arabia.

Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Saudi woman astronaut, and Ali Al Qarni are launching on a private trip to the orbiting laboratory, alongside American astronauts Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner.

The private trip, called Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), has been arranged by Houston company Axiom Space. The crew members will live on the ISS for eight days.

"Four station flight engineers joined each other during Tuesday afternoon and reviewed the Ax-2 mission schedule," Nasa said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Nasa astronauts Stephen Bowen, Frank Rubio, and Woody Hoburg, along with UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, familiarised themselves with the upcoming mission activities and reviewed how the crews will co-ordinate during docked operations."

The mission is set to blast off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 22 at 1.37am GST (May 21, 5.37pm ET), from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

A back-up date of May 23 is also available.

If lift-off goes ahead on May 22, the crew will dock at the ISS later that day at 5.30pm.

But if both launch opportunities are missed, the crew may have to wait until the summer, as Nasa and SpaceX will have to prioritise other missions.

The Ax-2 crew members are currently in their mandatory pre-flight quarantine and are going through final preparations for the mission.

Ms Barnawi and Mr Al Qarni will serve as mission specialists on their trip, while former Nasa astronaut Ms Whitson is the commander and Mr Shoffner will be the pilot.

The mission is set to include several firsts, including the first woman to serve as commander on a private trip, the first Saudi astronauts to go to the ISS, and the first Arab woman on the space station.

It will also be the first time astronauts from two Arab countries have visited the floating laboratory.

Inspiring the Arab world

Mr Al Qarni said in a media briefing on Tuesday that he hoped UAE and Saudi astronauts working together in space would inspire the Arab world.

“I think it is a great opportunity that the three of us can be aboard the International Space Station,” he said.

“It holds a big message that will inspire people and shows the Arab world [that] we are holding hands and working together for the betterment of humanity.”

While the crew on the ISS await the guests, they have been continuing with their assignments.

Dr Al Neyadi and Mr Hoburg spent most of Tuesday working on a treadmill.

They rotated the exercise rack from its stowage position to gain access to its internal electronics components for inspection and cleaning.

Dr Al Neyadi also spent time testing the operations of the Astrobees - cube-shaped robotic devices - for an upcoming student competition.

He and three of his colleagues, two Americans and one Russian, are expected to return to Earth in late August.