RIYADH: More than 1,000 people took part in a virtual seminar organized by Makkah’s education authority on Tuesday about Saudi Arabia’s contribution to the recent NASA moon mission.
The session entitled “Saudi Arabia Towards Space … Contribution to the Artemis II Mission,” was attended by specialists in astronomy and the space sciences, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The participants included faculty members of the College of Astronomy and Space Sciences at King Abdulaziz University, Dr. Ayed Sulaiman Al-Rahili and Dr. Samira Al-Harbi.
The scientists led a detailed presentation on the development of human spaceflight, reviewing the history of space exploration and the recent NASA Artemis II mission which circled around the moon.
Al-Rahili highlighted Saudi Arabia’s growing role in the space sector through its Shams satellite.
The CubeSat small satellite was developed by the Saudi Space Agency and joined NASA astronauts as they circled the moon.
The Shams satellite reflects the development of national capabilities in space technologies, and the Kingdom’s contribution to supporting scientific research related to space weather and solar radiation, the SPA reported.
As well as the Shams satellite’s participation, Saudi scientists have conducted research in orbit including Rayyanah Barnawi whose study on the effects of spaceflight on human disease was published in the journal Science Advances in January.
Several students and enthusiasts attended the meeting, and the hosts stressed the importance of empowering students to help achieve the goals of Vision 2030.
The session concluded with an open dialogue on the future of space and Saudi Arabia’s role in this growing sector.
