Private mission carrying Saudi astronauts launches to ISS

THE second-ever private mission to the International Space Station (ISS), organised by Axiom Space, blasted off from Florida yesterday, carrying the first two Saudi astronauts to travel to the orbiting laboratory. 

Rayyanah Barnawi, a breast cancer researcher, is the first Saudi woman to voyage into space and is joined on the mission by fellow Saudi Ali Al-Qarni, a fighter pilot.