Ali al-Qarni

Ali al-Qarni (born in 1992), serves as a fighter pilot in the Royal Saudi Air Force and is an astronaut representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the aerospace sector. He is a scientific mission specialist, part of the Ax-2 mission crew to the International Space Station, marking the second private astronaut mission for Axiom Space to the International Space Station (ISS).

Al-Qarni has experience in aircraft operations control and real-time modifications, with a focus on managing multiple mission scenarios. He possesses advanced skills in team management and data digitization.

Al-Qarni is also a sports enthusiast, engaging in rope jumping and mountain climbing south of the Kingdom. He has participated in survival training courses, including "survival in water" and training on centrifuge devices and military deployment.

Ali Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz al-Qarni was born in the center of Sabt al-Alaya in Balqarn Governorate, affiliated with Aseer Province south of the Kingdom. He received his primary education at "Sabt al-Alaya Elementary School" and continued his middle school education at "Abu Dhar al-Ghafari Intermediate School" in Sabt al-Alaya. Al-Qarni graduated with honors from "Abdullah Bin Masoud High School" in Sabt al-Alaya, before relocating to the capital, Riyadh, to pursue his university education. He was admitted to the King Faisal Air Academy and received a scholarship after one academic year to study in the United States of America, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Aviation Science in 2014.

He also holds a diploma in aviation science from Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, USA, and has completed various training and professional courses.

Ali al-Qarni began his professional career as a fighter pilot in the Royal Saudi Air Force, affiliated with the Ministry of Defense. He has approximately twelve years of experience in piloting aircraft (F-15 SA), with a total flight time of 2,387 flying hours. He has also worked with T-38, T-6, and Cessna 172 aircraft.

Ali al-Qarni is married and has one daughter. One of his hobbies is collecting and restoring vintage cars.

The Saudi Space Agency officially announced on February 12, 2023, as a part of the Kingdom's Human Space Flight Program, the selection of Ali al-Qarni as a member of the team participating in the Axiom Mission Two (Ax-2). He was chosen as an astronaut and scientific mission specialist.

On May 22, 2023, Saudi astronauts Ali al-Qarni and Rayyanah Barnawi arrived at the International Space Station after a journey that lasted approximately sixteen hours. Their scientific space mission commenced, aiming to conduct fourteen groundbreaking research experiments to serve humanity through scientific research. Among these experiments are three educational experiments, involving the participation of twelve thousand students from forty-seven educational centers in the Kingdom via satellite communication. Additionally, there are six experiments focusing on the brain and nervous system, and four experiments related to immune cells. One experiment titled "Cloud Seeding in Microgravity" aims to study the feasibility of cloud seeding in microgravity environments to explore its potential applications in settlements on the moon and Mars.