David Rigoulet-Roze is an associate researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (Iris) and editor-in-chief of the journal
“Orients Stratégiques
”
.
LE FIGARO. - This Tuesday, at 4:43 a.m. French time, Saudi Arabia will send
its first astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS)
.
Why is this country interested in space?
David Rigoulet-Roze. -
It is first of all a strategic positioning compared to its Emirati neighbor, which has a head start.
Rayana Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni, the two Saudi astronauts chosen, will join the Emirati Sultan al-Neyadi who is already in the ISS.
There will therefore be three Arab astronauts simultaneously in the ISS.
They are in a space race.
There is a stimulating emulation between these two states.
The Saudi Space Authority was created in 2018, while the Emirati Space Center already dates back to 2006. It's a bit the same stimulus mechanism
as
with the United States and Russia...
This article is for subscribers only.
You have 84% left to discover.
Want to read more?
Unlock all items immediately.
TEST FOR €0.99
Already subscribed?
Login
