On its second private Axiom trip, SpaceX brings the first Saudi astronauts to the Space Station

Indian Today Science Desk: On Monday, SpaceX launched Axiom Space's second private mission to the International Space Station with success (ISS). At the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Launch Complex 39A saw the launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying four people.

The spacecraft sent two Saudi astronauts, including the nation's first female astronaut, to the International Space Station.

Representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, have been launched to the International Space Station. The four will strive to further the construction of the commercial space station that private aerospace firm Axiom Space has planned.

The four astronauts will work and live in the orbiting laboratory to carry out a full slate of scientific, educational, and business endeavours.

"I am honoured and delighted to stand in for all the aspirations and hopes of the Saudi Arabian people. In a pre-launch conference that Axiom streamed on YouTube, Barnawi expressed the aspirations of all the women in the area.

During their time in the zero-gravity lab, the four astronauts will conduct significant studies to learn how microgravity impacts stem cells and thick tissue structures. Their efforts are directed towards identifying illnesses and creating treatments for humans on Earth. The four-person team will conduct about 20 experiments while aboard the ISS.