Ali Al-Qarni, one of the most well-known personalities, is an astronaut who represents Saudi Arabia in the space industry. He has 12 years of experience flying combat aircraft.
He serves as a pilot with the Royal Saudi Air Force. Likewise, he received a pick from the Saudi Space Station to carry out the AX-2 space mission owing to his experience and expertise in this area.
Ali Al-Qarni’s Upbringing and Education
Ali Al-Qarni was born in 1992 in Sabt Al-Alayya, Balqarn Governorate. It is part of the Emirate of the Asir area in southern Saudi Arabia.
He attended “Sabt Al-Alaya Primary School” for his elementary education and “Abu Dhar Al-Ghafari Middle School” for his middle school education. Additionally, he graduated with honours from Sabt Al-Alaya’s “Abdullah Bin Masoud Secondary School.”
He received admission to King Faisal Air College, where he completed his studies. He obtained a scholarship to study in the United States after a year, and in 2014, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aviation sciences.
Ali Al-Qarni’s Skills and Experience
Al-Qarni excels at handling various mission situations, has expertise supervising aircraft operations and making modifications in real-time, and possesses excellent abilities in team management and data digitisation.
Al-Qarni is an athlete who trains in southern Saudi Arabia for mountain climbing and bungee jumping. In addition, he took part in centrifuge and military deployment training, as well as survival courses like “Water Survival.”
He also has a diploma in aviation sciences from Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, USA. Along with different training and professional courses.
Ali Al-Qarni’s Journey into Space
On February 12, 2023, the Saudi Space Authority formally confirmed Ali Al-Qarni’s selection as a member of the Axiom 2 mission team. In addition, an astronaut and scientific mission specialist, as part of the Saudi Astronaut Programme.
The Saudi astronauts Ali Al-Qarni and Rayana Barnawi began their 16-hour flight to the International Space Station in 2023, where they were to start a research space mission.
Read More: The Saudi “MADAK” Competition: An Arab Talent’s Journey Into Space
Flight Goal
The goal of the journey is to carry out 14 ground-breaking scientific research experiments that will benefit humanity through science. These experiments will include three educational ones, where 12,000 students engaged with 47 educational headquarters in Saudi Arabia through satellite, six brain and nervous system experiments, and four immune cell experiments.
In addition, the “microgravity cloud seeding” experiment aims to investigate the feasibility of cloud seeding inside a microgravity setting.
