SpaceX’s Ax-2 astronaut launch just put the 600th person in orbit

The 600th person to enter Earth orbit is now en route to the International Space Station aboard the second commercial mission to fly there.

Rayyanah Barnawi on Sunday, May 21, blasted off with fellow Saudi Space Commission (SSC) astronaut Ali AlQarni, privately funded astronaut John Shoffner of Tennessee and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson on the second organized mission by Houston-based space services company Axiom Space. THE four Axiom 2 (Ax-2) teammates launched at 5:37 p.m. EDT (21:37 GMT) on SpaceX Dragon ‘Freedom’ spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Less than nine minutes later, Barnawi and his teammates began circling the planet. AlQarni and Shoffner are also first-time pilots, but based on a precedent set in 2021 when the 600th person entered space — a figure that also included suborbital flights — the tally is based on the astronauts’ mission designations.

As a pilot, Shoffner became number 598. AlQarni is number 599, flying as Mission Specialist 1. As such, Barnawi, as Mission Specialist 2, claimed the round number. With Barnawi, only 72 women help to understand the total of 600 people.

Related: Ax-2 Private Astronaut Mission Live Updates
More: SpaceX’s Ax-2 mission for Axiom Space in photos (gallery)

“I feel incredibly humbled to follow in the footsteps of the many astronauts and pioneers before me,” Barnawi said in a statement. “As the 600th person to enter orbit around Earth, I am delighted to represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Space Commission on this historic mission. It is a true honor to be part of a mission that expands access to low Earth orbit for people like you and me and to be able to inspire people around the world to reach for the stars and pursue their dreams. “

Barnawi is also now the first Saudi woman to fly in space and the first Arab woman to orbit the Earth, and along with AlQarni, the first Arabs and Saudis to embark on the same mission together. The first Saudi (and Arab) astronaut to fly, Sultan bin Salman Al Saud, did so as a payload specialist aboard the spaceship Discovered in 1985.

Once arrived at international space stationScheduled to take place at 9:24 a.m. EDT (1324 GMT) on Monday, Barnawi and AlQarni will be greeted by the station’s Expedition 69 crew, including Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, marking the first time that three Arab astronauts traveled to space at the same time.

Barnawi, 33, and AlQarni, 31, are not the only record holders of the Ax-2 crew. Shoffner, 67, is the first person born in Alaska (Fairbanks) to fly in space.

Peggy Whitson, as a former NASA astronaut, already holds the distinction of American and most experienced woman to fly in space, having already logged more than 665 days over three long stays aboard the space station . She will add to this the count of this mission which should last about 10 days.

Whitson, 63, is now also the first woman to command a commercial spaceflight. She joined Axiom Space after retiring from NASA in 2018, becoming the company’s director of human spaceflight. Whitson is the second former NASA astronaut to fly for Axiom, next Michael Lopez-Alegria on Ax-1 in 2022, and the third NASA astronaut to return to space after leaving the agency, after Jean Glenn in 1998.

Over the next week on the space station, Whitson will help Shoffner, AlQarni and Barnawi continue their planned science and outreach programs. The Ax-2 crew plans to conduct more than 20 different experiments, including research on stem cells, DNA-based nanomaterials, and cancer countermeasures. They will also photograph lightning strikes and high-altitude Transient Light Events (TLEs) known as sprites and test a wearable suit that simulates Earth’s gravity to counteract the negative effects of microgravity.

Shoffner, a race car driver who has longed to fly in space since childhood, will spend some of his time announcing the winners of a Art and poetry contest sponsored by Crayola open to children from all over the world. AlQarni and Barnawi will interact with Saudi students in an effort to spark interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

“We’re going to do three educational outreach experiments with kids,” AlQarni said at a pre-launch press conference. “It’s going to be a live event, which is going to be amazing for them because it’s going to be a huge opportunity to compare the results they’ve had. [on] the ground with the ones we’re going to have aboard the ISS.”

AlQarni and Barnawi also bring a taste of their country to their temporary home in orbit.

“We take Saudi coffee and dates with us to share with the astronauts on board the ISS,” AlQarni said in response to a question from collectSPACE.com.

Barnawi has a Saudi flag and wrapped earrings from his grandmother, who was unable to attend its launch but gave her blessing for Barnawi to fly into space.

Whitson again stole a necklace she wore to her wedding, then stole on her previous three missions. Shoffner chose something that represents his lifelong dream of flying in space.

“When I was eight I built a model of the Gemini spacecraft. It had little astronauts in it that could get out and I happen to still have one from 1963. So one of those little guys – probably Ed WhiteI imagine – still go with me in space,” he said.

Related: Facts About NASA’s Gemini Human Spaceflight Program