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“One Planet” book

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This Book

كـوكـب واحـــد530

He has worked tirelessly to further science and technology and education within his country and has truly

made a difference. His continuing contributions to his nation and humankind are an integral part of the story

of his flight and this remarkable individual and leader.

* George William Samuel Abbey, left of Prince Sultan, joined NASA in 1964 as an Air Force Captain as-

signed to the Apollo program. In December 1967 he left the Air Force and was named Technical Assistant

to the Johnson Space Center Director. In 1983, he became Director of the Flight Crew Operations Director-

ate, where he continued to be responsible for all space shuttle flight crews and Center aircraft operations

including STS 51-G mission.

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GEORGE ABBEY’S IMPRESSIONS

While initially space was primarily the domain of the United States and the Soviet Union, with the

advent of the Space Shuttle, international cooperation became a cornerstone of the human spaceflight pro-

gram. No Space Shuttle mission typified this cooperation more than the 18th flight of the Shuttle. It repre-

sented a major step forward, flying Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the first Arab and Mus-

lim to fly in space, as an astronaut on board Space Shuttle Discovery. Flying in space is a very demanding

endeavor and it requires very dedicated, competent and hard working individuals. And individuals who can

work well as a team.. HRH Prince Sultan was just such an individual and proved to be a valued member of

his crew. Prince Sultan and his crewmates, which also included Patrick Baudry from France, all performed

in an outstanding fashion. By the nature of their work crews form strong and lasting relationships and these

bonds have endured throughout the years for Prince Sultan and his crew. In 2010 I was privileged to be

invited to Saudi Arabia to celebrate the twenty- fifth Anniversary of their mission and renew old friendships

with this outstanding crew and reflect on their accomplishments. This book is the story of that memorable

flight, the preparations and training, the excitement of the flight itself and its successful execution.

Prince Sultan’s view of the Earth from space gave him a great appreciation for the smallness of our planet,

as compared to the immensity of the universe, and the fragility of our Earth and its environment. His mis-

sion also gave him a better understanding of the importance of science and technology. Prince Sultan has

built on the experiences of his flight and the twenty-five years that have gone by since June of 1985 have

been for him a period of service to his nation, its people, its heritage and culture, and the environment.

كـوكـب واحـــد532

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ternational Space Station, to see and feel the urgency of saving our planet earth from wars and destruction.

• Anydreamsyouwishtofulfillafteraccomplishingyourmission?Arethereanygoalsthatyou’re

tryingtoachieve,inspiredbyyourjourneytospace?

A colleague of mine once said “This flight was a symbol of the resilience of our people and the determina-

tion of both Arabs and Moslems to cope with the latest scientific challenge". I agree with his statement and

also add; it opened to us new venues, which can make dreams come true some day. I dream to have our

own Saudi and other Arab and Moslem Scientists share in the activites of the International Space Station

(ISS) within the next three years. Therefore, I call upon “King Abdul-Aziz Center of Science and Technol-

ogy” (KACST) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology” (KAUST) to study this idea and

present their proposal to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. We have a long history of Arab-Moslem impact on

cosmology and are proud of having recent role models in space programs, such as Dr. Farouk El-Baz, the

first Arab to join the American Space Program and to participate in site selection for the Apollo missions to

the moon. I am sure more scientists from the Arab and Moslem World are awaiting such an opportunity to

excel and achieve significant strides in space science and space technology.

• Whatelsehaveyoulearnedandaccomplishedfromthisexperience?

I was passionately interested in flight long before Saudi Arabia had any thought of having any astronaut.

Yet, this space mission added a new dimension I never dreamt of. The impact of becoming an astronaut,

and the flight into space, was tremendous, especially on young people in Saudi Arabia. I think it showed

them that space, like the rest of advanced technology, is not the exclusive hunting ground of the West and

that - literally - not even the sky is the limit any more. In addition, this space flight had an important effect on

Saudi-American friendship. This flight had more effect than a million hours of Voice of America broadcast-

ing because it showed our mutual friendship in reality.

• Anythingelseyouwishtoadd?

I remember the reception we had after our return, both in Saudi Arabia and in the rest of the World. It was

well beyond the dreams we had. Still more dreams are hanging there wishing the ripe time comes soon to

fulfill and make them come true. Thank you Zena!

كـوكـب واحـــد534

• Duringthe7-dayspaceflight,youcertainlyhavecreatedabondamongstyourselves.Howwas

yourrelationshipwitheachother?

I remember we had excellent relationships with each other throughout the entire mission, from the start of

training to the launching, to orbit and even afterwards. I still have good relations and even constant and

semi-constant contacts with most of our team, even after the passing of a quarter of a century. I wrote in

the Arabic section of this book some detailed personal impressions about every member of the crew with

great admiration of their proficiency and delightful persona.

• Doyourecallaspecialmemorableevent(s)thatoccurredduringyourmission?

When I went up to space, I was not alone.. I represented 800 million to a billion Muslims. I took all of them

with me to space in an American space ship. We have seen the significance of this mission and still hope

to see more impact on the younger generations who feel pride to see the significance of what happened.

I am very proud to have been connected with the United States on this one... I think through cooperation,

like what happened with NASA, our peoples should get closer to understand each other.

• Afterseeinghowplanetearthseemstobesobeautifulandsopeacefulfromabove,canyouhelp

butwonderwhyitisactuallychaoticinreality?

Looking at planet earth from up there and knowing what goes on, not only in the Middle East, but all over

the World, makes one wonders why? It’s very strange indeed... despite the disappearing of boundaries

and border lines, which makes home planet looks great and homogenous. May be we should ask the top

leaders of the World and its decision makers to convene a meeting or two up there, may be inside the In-

Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud

535

A total happiness if you like very much thrust and noise… And the first two minutes are the greatest ride

you can imagine! The heavens!

• Afterseeinghowplanetearthseemstobesobeautifulandsopeacefulfromabove,canyouhelp

butwonderwhyitisactuallychaoticinreality?

Man's presence in space has been uniquely important regarding man's view of himself (we can go wher-

ever we set our minds to go), and it continues to be important as a goal reachable by any young person

with determination and ambition as they grow into adulthood. Also, the human eye personally set back on

earth from a great distance continues to be important as this emotional experience is described by the indi-

viduals lucky enough to travel there. This experience is particularly important as "proof positive", personal

evidence of the fragility of our planet earth to those striving for preservation, conservation and protection

of earth, our only home.

So we can wonder why our planet is actually so chaotically driven by men in reality. If Earth is the right

planet, may be humankind is not the right species?

• Anydreamsyouwishtofulfillafteraccomplishingyourmission?Arethereanygoalsthatyou’re

tryingtoachieve,inspiredbyyourjourneytospace?

As I have watched the sad state of world politics evolve over the last 10 years, my hope for renewed vigor

in the exploration of the space frontier has gone from guarded optimism to rather bleak pessimism. Given

the terrible political, economic and social challenges the world leaders now face here on earth, the national

resources and political attention of first world countries are no longer allocated to space programs of any

significant size or consequence, nor will they be over the next decades. The USA can't do anything right at

the moment, and the EU is not well focused across all European countries regarding achieving new space

goals. The Russians continue to prop up failed space efforts on the part of the USA, with little resource

left over to start new programs. Perhaps the next 50 years of advance along the space frontier will have to

come from the Chinese, if anyone. In short, my standard optimistic view of space progress is damped by

my practical view of current politics and capabilities, in the main countries at least.

• Whatelsehaveyoulearnedfromthisexperience?

There were no astronauts when I was young! Gagarin flew first when I was at school and John Glenn flew

first when I was still at school.... That said, I always was intrigued by airplanes and the thought of flying, and

I always dreamt to fly. As a pilot, fighter pilot, test pilot, airline and helicopter pilot, I could fly on everything

which flies in the atmosphere. But flying into space is another way of flying. It is the ideal way of flying. That

allowed me to reach my more ambitious dreams. It taught me that total happiness may happen after a very

long and difficult way, and that it is worth a total effort.

كـوكـب واحـــد536

• Duringthe7-dayspaceflight,youcertainlyhavecreatedabondamongstyourselves.Howwas

yourrelationshipwitheachotherandPrinceSultaninparticular?

A seven days space flight is an extraordinary experience, and it is lived in a very different way from what we

live every day. Relationship among the crew is enhanced, as we feel so lucky to be there. Everybody put

the success of the mission in first place and work the best to fulfill his role in the best possible way. Rela-

tionship among the crew is made of solidarity and friendship. The feeling of sharing something exceptional

makes each other very close.

Prince Sultan was my best friend on board. I was admiring his wiseness and the fact that he could make

such a flight not being a professional astronaut. I did my best to help him when it was possible, even as it

was not necessary… But he helped the French team very much, participating to the medical experiments,

and he gave me very good advices quite often. For these reasons, we had a very strong link each other.

• Doyourecallaspecialmemorableevent(s)thatoccurredduringyourmission?

This question seems a bit strange to me… Every second of a space flight represents a memorable event

to me, and it is difficult to make a selection! But the launch is a very particular event. In 9 minutes, we ac-

celerate from 0 to 8kms/sec, and we are in space! These 9 minutes are really memorable, from the ignition

of the 3 main engines to the stopping of their thrust. We are on the launch pad, strapped down at the top

of the vehicle, lying down on our seats and waiting the moment of the ignition. It happens in a very intense

atmosphere, noise and vibrations increase very rapidly, and the whole vehicle oscillates as the main en-

gines reach their nominal power. It takes 5 seconds. Then, the SRBs (Solid Rocket Boosters) are ignited,

and it is instantaneously a surrounding of strong vibrations and intensive noise. Lift off is harsh and brutal.

Patrick Marie Baudry

537

gether by their common experience. Every astronaut loves to look down at our Earth. We see the majestic

beauty of the planet and we have also see problem areas caused by humans. The vast destruction of the

rainforest, huge agricultural developments that drain water resources and the effects of global warming are

all obvious to those who look down from the windows of spacecraft.

For almost fifty years, astronauts and cosmonauts have helped study our Earth and taken many thousands

of photographs that clearly prove that the planet is changing. When the first men flew to space, they looked

down and saw the second largest lake in Africa – Lake Chad. Today, it is only five percent as large as it was

when Yuri Gagarin first saw it from space.

You ask about the Earth looking beautiful and peaceful from space, but, in reality, it is chaotic. We are bil-

lions of people living on this planet. The Earth’s citizens need food, water, transportation, education, hous-

ing, jobs, information, culture and products. Every one of these requires the use of our limited natural re-

sources. In the past, most people felt that the Earth’s resources were limitless. We now know that this is not

true. Wars have been fought for oil, for tin, for rubber, for gold, and for other valuable and limited resources.

Today, one of our biggest concerns is about fresh water which is also limited. In many parts of the world,

we are not very careful with our uses of water. Global warming will increase the scarcity of fresh water as

glaciers melt and rivers become dry. Our rapidly growing population will increase our need and the supply

decreases. Will we learn from our past mistakes or will we face further strife on our planet as people and

nations fight for the water that is necessary for life?

My experience in space was a blessing. It was not something that I earned or deserved. There are many

better engineers, many better pilots, many better scientists, and many more courageous people. I am only

a good engineer, a good pilot, a good scientist and a fairly brave man. But more than anything, I am a lucky

man. I am one of a very small group of people who have had a chance to fly to space. Tens of thousands of

others could have done my job well, or perhaps better. In my journey through life, I have always taken the

right path. Who knows what would have happened if I had taken the left one.

Zena, I wish you the very best in your own journey through life. At every junction, you will need to go right

or left. Choose wisely

كـوكـب واحـــد538

Dear Zena,

I am pleased to answer your interesting questions about my space flight experience with HRH

Prince Sultan. This was my second flight to space, but my first with crew members who were not NASA

astronauts. We had three nations represented on the flight – USA, Saudi Arabia, and France. This was

one of the first times that three different nations were represented on a flight to space, so we had a rather

unique multicultural experience in space.

Our mission took place during Ramadan which was even more interesting for Prince Sultan, who was

searching for the first sign of the crescent moon to show the end of Ramadan. He also took many photo-

graphs of Saudi Arabia.

Only about 500 people have flown in space. Many of them are members of the Association of Space Ex-

plorers, which had its fifth meeting in Riyadh in 1989. This year, we will meet in Malaysia. The members of

the association believe in the importance of space exploration, in the education of our youth, in international

cooperation, and in environmental stewardship. Seeing the Earth from space has provided us with a unique

opportunity. It also gives us a responsibility to explain to others – those who have been bound to our planet

by gravity – what we have seen and what we have learned about the health of our home planet. Prince

Sultan was one of the founding members of our association.

Space flight is still a rare privilege and those who have been fortunate enough to participate are drawn to-

Dr. John Mc Creary Fabian

539

causes one to pause and to reflect and to wonder why. But every crew member wants to return to Earth

to their home, because , although chaotic, that is where their family, their relationships are and it is the re-

lationships that we have with each other which give us as humans our greatest satisfaction as well as our

greatest sorrows! It is a mystery!

• Anydreamsyouwishtofulfillafteraccomplishingyourmission?Arethereanygoalsthatyou’re

tryingtoachieve,inspiredbyyourjourneytospace?

From a very personal standpoint, because I enjoyed being a part of 51-G so much, I wanted to fly again

and again! Although I will not fly in space again, I am still working for NASA. I love working in an exploration

environment and I appreciate being able to contribute to making space flight a safe and marvelous experi-

ence for others!

• Whatelsehaveyoulearnedfromthisexperience?

From this experience I learned how much I enjoyed space flight. I also learned the importance of teamwork

both from the viewpoint of being part of a flight crew and also from being part of a much larger team, i.e., the

team in mission control who kept us safe in flight and the team at the Kennedy Space center who made it

safe for us to launch into space. Shuttle flights are a grand illustration of how working together great things

can be accomplished, things that could never be accomplished by one individual by themselves.

• Isthereanythingelseyouwouldliketoadd?

I would just like to add that I have been very blessed to have a small part of the exploration of our vast

universe.

كـوكـب واحـــد540

• Duringthe7-dayspaceflight,youcertainlyhavecreatedabondamongstyourselves.Howwas

yourrelationshipwitheachotherandPrinceSultaninparticular?

51-G was a very interesting and exciting flight but what I enjoyed most about the flight was the interactions

with the crew. We trained together for over a year and then flew. Over that period of time we got to know

each other very well. We were all very different from each other and came from different backgrounds. We

were very fortunate that Prince Sultan was part of the crew. He added even more diversity to our crew and

he also added a different cultural viewpoint, so we had a very interesting time learning about each other

and working together. The 51-G crew was known as a crew that worked very well together and enjoyed be-

ing together. Prince Sultan was an integral part of the crew, and he contributed much to the crew working

together as such a great team.

• Doyourecallaspecialmemorableeventthatoccurredduringyourmission?

Like the majority of people experiencing a space mission for the first time, I was awed and overwhelmed by

my first views of planet Earth, my home, seen out of the shuttle windows. I think that all of the crew felt this

way. I specifically remember Prince Sultan talking about his home country as we flew over Saudi Arabia.

• AfterseeinghowplanetEarthseemstobesobeautifulandsopeacefulfromabove,canyouhelp

butwonderwhyitisactuallychaoticinreality?

This is a very insightful question. Actually, it is one that I have asked myself many times while in orbit. Or-

biting the Earth every ninety minutes and passing quickly over all the continents you have studied about

for years, you think about all the wars and misery that humans have inflicted on each other forever. This

Dr. Shannon Matilda Wells Lucid

541

are not visible. Countries, politics and struggles seem trivial and at times I feel very small. You can see from

space that we are all dependent on one another and maybe in learning to take care of earth, our shared

home, we can learn to live in peace.

• Anydreamsyouwishtofulfillafteraccomplishingyourmission?

I dream of rockets flying to international factories in space making medicines and electronics in zero gravity.

I dream of mining operations on the moon for manufacturing stronger and lighter metals. I dream of clean

air and water and irrigated fields powered by the sun. I dream of taking a family vacation to the moon so

that everyone can be inspired to improve our world.

After I retired from NASA I became a test pilot at Boeing in Seattle. My goal was to help develop cleaner,

faster, lighter and more efficient aircraft. I have tried to do my part to walk softly on our planet. Now I like

to travel the earth and teach others the experience of space flight and try to instill in them an excitement to

peacefully explore the universe.

كـوكـب واحـــد542

• Duringtheflightyoucertainlycreatedabondamongstyourselves.Howwasyourrelationshipwith

eachotherandPriceSultaninparticular?

I was a little curious when I first learned Prince Sultan was flying with me because of his position in life, but

the moment he walked in the room I knew he was going to be a fantastic addition to the crew. We all shared

the same culmination of hard work, study, training and joy of fulfilling a dream. After the first hand shake

and “call me Sultan” we were a team and ready to train. Months later we shared a unique window on the

world and that experience bonds all astronauts.

• Doyourecallaspecialmemorableeventthatoccurredonyourmission?

The most exciting part of any flight is the first 8 minutes while riding on 4 million pounds of explosives! Once

in zero gravity there are a few moments when the work is done and you can find an available window and

watch the earth. We did see a huge sand storm that started in the Sahara and by the end of the flight; the

storm had extended all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. I really appreciated how far into space we were

when I saw my first meteor fall to earth BELOW me.

• Afterseeinghowtheplanetearthseemstobesobeautifulandpeacefulfromabove,canyouhelp

butwonderwhyitisactuallysochaoticinreality?

This is a very good question. I think every person who flies in space comes back with the knowledge that

our Earth is unique in this universe. It is very fragile and mankind has not yet mastered the art of steward-

ship. Our fingerprints on the planet are permanent and can be destructive. We need to learn to cherish the

earth, rather than destroy. We circle the globe every 90 minutes. Countries move by in seconds. Borders

Creighton John Oliver

543

• Anydreamsyouwishtofulfillafteraccomplishingyourmission?Arethereanygoalsthatyou’re

tryingtoachieve,inspiredbyyourjourneytospace?

I dreamed of helping develop missions to Mars and beyond, but the progress is very slow and disappoint-

ing. I have continued to try to provide inspiration to young folks and interest them in pursuing their educa-

tion, especially those interested in math and science.

• Whatelsehaveyoulearnedfromthisexperience?

Teamwork is essential in most everything you seek to accomplish. It was very apparent that space missions

require it, but it is equally important in most endeavors here on earth.

• Isthereanythingelseyouwishtoadd?

International teamwork is very important in space exploration….we were very successful on STS 51G with

an international crew and the accomplishments of the International Space Station team are phenomenal. If

we are ever able to explore beyond our solar system, it will require a significant international team effort too.

كـوكـب واحـــد544

• Duringthe7-dayspaceflight,youcertainlycreatedabondamongstyourselves.Howwasyour

relationshipwitheachotherandPrinceSultaninparticular?

We established a very friendly relationship. During the many weeks of training, we get to know each other

very well and share a lot of our early life experiences. During the mission, we are very busy and rely on the

teamwork developed during training to ensure we accomplish all the mission objectives. Following a suc-

cessful mission, there is a real sense of accomplishment and pride that the entire crew shares.

• Doyourecallaspecialmemorableeventthatoccurredduringyourmission?

We had a very busy mission with four satellite deployments, one satellite retrieval and numerous experi-

ments to conduct in the crew module, in addition to the launch and landing. Probably the most memorable

was the landing because it was the first time I landed the space shuttle. The more memorable events during

the flight were the crew dinners where we would get our food and then the entire crew would float around

the windows where we had a spectacular view of the earth while we ate.

• Afterseeinghowplanetearthseemstobesobeautifulandsopeacefulfromabove,canyouhelp

butwonderwhyitisactuallychaoticinreality?

It is hard to understand, unfortunately that seems to be the way humans act. Maybe if we could get every-

one a few orbits around the earth, they would change the way they act….probably not a realistic plan, but

I think it would work.

Daniel Charles Brandenstein

545

Astronauts impressions after 25 years of their Space Mission(DiscoverySTS-51G)

Zena, a school girl in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (14 years old at the 9th grade) asked the team astronauts of Discovery STS-51G about their mission and impres-sion after 25 years. Here are her questions and their answers in 2010 :

كـوكـب واحـــد546

for our regional development, but it is equally critical to participate in shaping the future of humanity by building knowledge and scientific cooperation.

Since we do all live in one planet, we must harness the forces of globalization to build a new world befitting all future generations to live and prosper. Space travelers have captured the essence of these thoughts and transmitted them to us as inspirational moments, as they viewed our spaceship–planet Earth traveling through the black void of space, with their own eyes.

Just imagine that you have lived in a house all your life looking outwards, and for a brief moment you are given a chance to climb the hill and view your home and your village or island in the vastness of a desert or sea.

I was very privileged to have had such a moment when I flew in 1985. These memories may seem distant when scaled by human time standards, but somehow, they are still fresh in my mind and are etched in my soul as if they have only happened moments ago.

I reflected on one of those moments when asked by a member of the press during our last days of flight about my thoughts when seeing earth from space for the first time. I remember replying as follows:“The first day or so, we all pointed to our countries. The third or fourth day we were pointing to our conti-nents. By the fifth day, we were only aware of one planet.”

That is why I have always felt that if others had a chance to fly to space, and view earth from the same perspective, they would realize that we are all travelers on the same ship, headed to one eventual destiny. The world may have been a better one today.

Sultan Bin Salman Al-Saud1432 A.H - 2011 C.E

547

technology. An ambitious space program was launched as a direct outcome from our space mission, with a focus on space related and satellite technologies, (you will hear more on this from my colleague, HH Dr. Turki bin Saud, the Vice-President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the government agency in charge of executing the national science and technology plan).

The year 2009 was also very special for the kingdom. The inauguration of the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) is a turning point for Saudi and regional higher education, and a great step towards placing science and technology in the forefront of our educational and research priorities.

Today, we live in a much different world from when we first flew on board the space shuttle in 1985. At that time, space was the preserve of countries of the first world. There were few astronauts and cosmonauts from the third world, let alone from Moslem or Arab countries. There were no national space programs or serious university research programs in most third world countries. There were very few Moslem or Arab space scientists in this area, and most of them worked or studied in Western or Soviet institutions. There was little public knowledge or interest in space, and there were no books or events on space issues avail-able in this part of the world.

Globalization and the internet were terms unfamiliar to most, let alone instant messaging, or gadgets like Blackberries glued to the hands of millions. In 1985, people were unable to surf through hundreds of TV channels, or travel easily across our planet for commerce and tourism. Cultural interaction was for the privileged few. Scientific knowledge, sharing and access to databases were nothing like we enjoy today. I remind you, I am not talking about the Stone Age, as one of my children likes to remind me every so often, I am talking just about the year 1985.With all these amazing developments, and more to come in the near future, how can we think of ourselves as a region?

We are, in fact, already a part of an interdependent world and anything we do to develop our regions has to influence and be influenced by global developments; this includes scientific advances related to space.With this in mind, we really have to begin thinking of ourselves in this region as contributors to the future of humanity, as our great Arab and Muslims ancestors had been. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah, has made this point so eloquently in his inauguration speech of KAUST on 23 Sept, 2009:

Theideaofthisuniversityhasbeenadreamofmineformorethan25years…Islamiccivilizationhashistoricallyplayedanenormousroleinservinghumanity…thegreatIslamicscholarshavecontributedtomanyareasofscholarship…Forallofthat,theuniversity,whoseinaugurationwecelebratetoday,didnotemergefromnothing.Itisacontinuationofwhatdistinguishedourcivilizationinitsgoldenage…

As the history of this planet is written, it will reflect human achievement and contributions towards all hu-manity, not one region or race. It is indeed important to benefit from space related science and technology

كـوكـب واحـــد548

I also remember there was still much discussion in our region about the importance of satellites to our lives when we flew into space with the second Arabsat. There are today four new generations of Arabsat satel-lites orbiting our earth, providing valuable services to the region. Ten satellites have already been deployed and 2 more will be in orbit by 2012.Can you imagine our world without satellites?Imagine no satellite TV and radio, no space imaging for maps, weather and agriculture, searching for water and natural resources and protecting the environment!

Imagine telephone communications and the internet if we had not developed satellite technologies! Much of the technological advances in our modern world were either developed for the space program, or as a derivative of it, or were inspired by it. From medicine to modern aviation technology and engineering break-throughs, many of the scientific and technical innovations that make our lives better today are a result of space research and the on-going quest to explore the distant planets.

Most countries in our region have in fact embraced the potential of space technology, and the great role it can play in their development. I will take my own country as an example.

Saudi Arabia has been a true believer in the importance of space to national development. It was a principal founder of Arabsat and its largest shareholder, and has promoted the widespread use of satellite technol-ogy in the region. Saudi Arabia had at the time the most advanced communications system in our area, and today it is one of the biggest markets for communications technology. Saudi Arabia has also invested heavily in scientific development and education. When a scientific team was invited to participate with ex-periments aboard the STS-51-G mission back in 1985, our universities were ready and eager, and many of them were already involved in some form of space related research.

Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in scientific, technological, and human development.

As I write this note, over 80,000 Saudis are on scholarships and studying abroad in all corners of the world. 24 public and eight private universities are being built, in addition to the existing nineteen, serving almost 800,000 students. Over 25% of the national budget is allocated to transform our lower and higher educa-tion, and bring it up to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century and beyond, with much emphasis on science and technology.

Most of our universities and research centers have in fact already aligned themselves with some of the great institutions of the world, and have focused their programs toward scientific research and technologi-cal learning and development.

Saudi Arabia has also invested heavily in the education of the gifted and youth science clubs and science centers, and has committed and funded a far-reaching national plan for the development of science and

549

to space travel in such a visible and direct way. In our part of the world, the interest in space travel and

sciences had been limited to Arabs and Muslims who participated in highly visible space related scientific

endeavors, such as my friend Dr. Farouk El-Baz, who had contributed to the Apollo moon landing program

and other accomplished scientists like him.

Many of the same questions were asked in our part of the world at the time our mission was announced as

when space travel started in other, more scientifically advanced societies.

- Why do we go to space?

- Do people have to physically travel to space? Can’t we just send robots?

- Are the huge sums of money spent on space programs justified? Aren’t they better spent here on

earth to fight hunger and disease?

I have spent a good part of the last 25 years attempting to answer these legitimate questions to audiences

across the Islamic and Arab worlds, in universities, schools, and to the many children including mine, who

are eager to learn more.

Part of our mission was to change that picture. We set as a primary target for ourselves: to spark the inter-

est of our youth in space in general and science and technology in particular. We also aspired to promote

public interest in space and related sciences in the hope of influencing public policy towards added empha-

sis on math and science in education and increased support for scientific research.

Today, we can rejoice at the incredible developments we have witnessed in the past 25 years. Indeed, our

first manned space experience has had the inspirational effect we had hoped for. Using NASA jargon: MIS-

SIONACCOMPLISHED.

It is really one thing to hear about others traveling to space, and quite another to see one of your own go

up aboard a blazing spaceship, much like the early days of the space race, when it took a vow to land a

human on the moon to galvanize public support for the space program, and the best scientific minds in that

era to meet a great challenge.

I do in fact remember that day in 1969, when we all sat glued to our black and white TV sets to watch one

of the greatest moments in human history — the first human steps on the moon. Very few events in my life

have had such an effect on me as a person, and a teenager searching for perspective for the future. Our

first mission to space, though less dramatic and historic than the moon landing, has nonetheless had a

profound influence on our younger generations.

Even today I still run into young people who show me photographs of myself and their “mothers and dads”

when they were just kids back in ‘85 (I hate telling this story); they tell me how much they heard about the

mission from their parents, and how it inspired them at that time; people need inspiration to accomplish

great things and great things can be costly.

كـوكـب واحـــد550

INTRODUCTION

It is my pleasure to address this book, which documents my mission to space in 1985 and the following years of space missions and exploration.

Those of us who ventured into space and returned safely know that our reward is not only the contribution we make to space science, but also the special insight we gain, which we must share with those who have not had the experience.

All of us, who have gone into space since the beginning of the space age were treated to views of our planet that no photograph or television picture can convey. The scene tricks your vision, as your entire view fills with the vivid colors of moun-tains, oceans and landmasses.

At first you are inclined to seek out your home town, state or country, for the first day, as you see the sun rise and set 16 times; you go to a window whenever possible to seek out the different countries and to compare them to what you were taught in geography class. Then, without warning, you are transformed by this magical view. A special feeling emerges; you lose the urge to find boundaries between states and countries and the world becomes a globe of seven continents and seas. The world seems to meld into a large kaleidoscope of color and beauty. No longer do you think in terms of my city or my country, rather you begin to sense that you are a part of something much larger. It is at this moment that astronauts gain the wisdom that may change the way people treat each other.The insight l gained in space confirms my deep conviction that we are all part of a much larger whole, one that demands we stalwartly work toward understanding relationships between individuals and nations, compelling us to live and work to-gether work together toward making our planet a better place.

About 25 years ago, I had the privilege of being a member of the crew of the 18th space shuttle mission STS-51-G. At 7:33 AM Florida time, six crew members and I launched on a 7-day mission to the outer space, carrying with us three communica-tions satellites including the second satellite for the Arab world (Arabsat 1B) as well as a variety of scientific experiments. Above all, we carried with us the responsibility to continue and build on the successes and experiences of space travel accumu-lated over many years.

I also had the added responsibility of communicating my mission, not only to the team working with me on the scientific experiments, but even more to the millions of young people in the Arab and Islamic world who, for the first time, were exposed

551

كـوكـب واحـــد552

General Charles Bolden and Prince Sultan while visiting king Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology KACST in Riyadh in 2010.

General C. Bolden of NASA and Dr. Mohammed Al-Suwaiyel، the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology )KACST( while signing a joint agreement in Riyadh in 2010.

553

As we close this bright chapter of NASA’s history, I salute each astronaut from many nations, who have

flown on the shuttle, and each technician and engineer who kept it safe as the magnificent vehicle prepared

its ascent to space; its mission on orbit; and its return to the surface of the Earth. We will never forget our

colleagues from the crews of STS-51L (Challenger) and STS-107 (Columbia) who were lost. We pay tribute

to the courage of all who travelled on this amazing vehicle, particularly the crew of STS-51G, we honor

here tonight.

Finally, Prince Sultan, as our two nations continue to discuss the manner in which we may choose to work

together in future space activities, I want you to know, you will always be part of NASA, as an astronaut, as

a colleague, and as a true friend to Jackie and me.

Thank you again for inviting us to take part in this phenomenal event in honor of you and your crew and the

friendship between our two nations.

* These remarks were given by General Charles Bolden, the Administrator of National Astronaut and Space Association (NASA) dur-

ing the Saudi International Space and Aeronautics Technology Conference that began in Riyadh on Saturday the 2nd of October 2010

and was hosted by King Abdulaziz Center for Science and Technology (KACST).

The four mission insignias represent the space flights performed by astronaut Charles (Charlie) Bolden; Columbia STS-61C (12 Jan

1986), Discovery STS-31 (24 April 1990) Atlantis STS-45 (24 March 1992), Discovery STS-60 (3 February 1994).

كـوكـب واحـــد554

A Message of Friendship from RiyadhBy NASA Administrator

General Charles Bolden*

It’s an honor to represent the almost 18 thousand federal employees within the National Astronaut and

Space Association.

It’s just great to be here and enjoy the celebration in honor of a long time friend, Prince Sultan and the

members of his crew 51G.

Twenty five years ago, when 51G was launched and flew aboard the shuttle Discovery, Prince Sultan beat

me to space by about 6 or 7 months. Since that time we have all watched the space program grow and

mature. At the time of his launch, I can remember we all sat wrapped as we had two members of other na-

tions- Patrick Baudry from France and Prince Sultan from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia- who were ventur-

ing into space as members of a single STS-51G team.

As with several other shuttle missions, STS-51G deployed a valuable communications satellite, Arabsat.

And I can safely say that the shuttle program’s legacy is helping tie our globe closely together through the

communications networks it has established.

Discovery was less than a year old at the time, and was just embarking on its fifth flight. Discovery has now

flown 33 more times. It, like all the space Shuttles is an engineering marvel and a marvel of human dedica-

tion. It’s that kind of dedication that allowed HRH Prince Sultan to venture into Space and help his crew

achieve the mission’s objectives. As a payload specialist he worked with complex equipment that helped

us expand our scientific and technical knowledge, and as I have said, brought us all a little closer with the

development of better communications satellite.

HRH Prince Sultan’s flight was an early milestone in our efforts to make space exploration a truly global

enterprise. Today, with more than ten years of continuous occupation of the International Space Station

(ISS), international crews are the norm, as human space flight has truly become an international endeavor.

But back when he flew it was a very new thing. That has ultimately helped demonstrate how nations can

come together through shared objectives and a joint commitment to space exploration. It will actually be a

bitter sweet moment for us as Discovery launches on its final scheduled mission on February 24th 2011.

Since that time of its first flight, and the time of HRH Prince Sultan’s flight, we have nearly completed as-

sembly of the ISS, the largest and most complex international science and technology project in history, in

my view, an engineering marvel that would not be possible without the shuttle program and the dedication

of the 15 nations seeing it through to completion. The station can now fulfill its full potential as an interna-

tional laboratory for all nations.

555

كـوكـب واحـــد556

»يف اليوم الأول من مدارنا حول الأر�س كان كل مّنا ي�ضري اإىل بلده عند مرورنا فوقها.. ويف اليوم الثالث اأو الرابع بداأ كل منا ي�ضري اإىل قــــارته..

ومع قـــدوم اليـوم اخلــــام�س مل نـــدرك اإل كوكب واحد«.

اخت�ضا�ضي احلمولة�ضلطان بن �ضلمان اآل �ضعود )1405هـ/1985م(

) من كتاب الكوكب الوطن - جمعية م�ضت�ضكفي الف�ضاء الدولية (

“The first day or so we all pointed to our countries, the third or fourth day we were pointing to our

continents.. by the fifth day we were only aware of one earth”..

Payload Specialist

Sultan Bin Salman al-Saud1985 )STS-51G(

كـوكـب واحـــد558

Late King Fahd Speaking to Prince Sultan Bin Salman, While in Space

Our dear son Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, I take this opportunity to send you and your colleagues, from your home in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, our best wishes on board this mission, which will be, God willing, for the service of Islam, Muslims and the Arab Nation. We are proud of your accomplishing this successful mission in space and we wish you a happy return. I extend my regards to President Reagan and to the friendly American people. Thank you very much. I

hope to see you soon…Our son Sultan, I am going to be selfish with the remaining minutes, I repeat my best wishes to you and your colleagues and my thanks also to the TV authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, headed by the Minister of Information and his aides, also to the television team in the U. S. and all those who have cooperated with us in this worthy endeavor. We wish you and the Saudi scientists who await you the best success. Thank you, and until we see you, God willing..

)23rd June 1985(

كـوكـب واحـــد560

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A book of this magnitude and scope can only be made possible by the contribu-

tion of many dedicated people. The Arabic version of “Acknowledgment” cites

all those colleagues along their affiliations, who contributed to the production

of this book. Yet, we wish to re-emphasize our special thanks to HRH Prince

Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz for being generous enough to provide the

introduction to this effort. We thank him too for his major contribution to many

parts of this book and for his meticulous editing and proof reading of each

chapter. We wish also to express our sincere gratitude to many colleagues

and friends for taking much of their precious time to review and contribute

very useful information, comments, and fruitful suggestions. These include;

General Charles Bolden; the NASA Administrator, Mr. George Abbey, the STS-

51G space team, Mr. Khaled Bin Fahd Al-Sidairy, Dr. Abdullah Dabbagh. Dr.

Mansour Nazer, Dr. Mohammed Al-Suwaiyel, Prince Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin

Mohammad Al Saud, Dr. Ali Al Mashat, Dr. Farouk El-Baz, Dr. Zaghlool El-

Naggar, Major General Abdul-Mohsen Al-Bassam, Major General Abdulrah-

man Al-Bluwi, Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, Dr. Naila Al-Sowayel, Mr. Abdul-

lah Al-Sheikh, Dr. Muntasir Sheikh, Dr. Brian Lewis, Dr. Saud Al-Sowayel, Mr.

Abdulrahman Shalhoob, Mr. Reynaldo Santiago and Miss Zena Abo-khatwa

for their kind and fruitful contributions.

As always, family support is necessary. Therefore, we wish to extend our sin-

cere gratefulness to our wives and to our children for their encouragement and

their patience. Finally, we wish to thank our parents whose encouragement to

love science and exploration was a key in our endless search and research.

The Authors

561

THE AUTHORS

Dr. Ahmed Nabil Abo-khatwais a biochemist, a science writer and a faculty member at King Abdul-Aziz

University, Saudi-Arabia. He is also a consultant to HE the Mayor of

Jeddah City.

Dr. Tarek Ali Fadaakis a city planner, a licensed pilot and a faculty member at King Abdul-Aziz

University, Saudi-Arabia, a former head of Jeddah Municipal Council and

currently a member of the Saudi Majlis Al-Shura. He is also a former

Fellow of the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.

كـوكـب واحـــد562

This Book

There is a saying that the road to the stars is filled with hardships (per aspera ad astra). It

summarizes the Space Shuttle era which is coming to an end very soon. During the three decades

of the Shuttle experience, over 130 trips were launched. Sadly, two of those trips did not safely

return. This book tells the story of a very special Shuttle journey. It was special because it was the

very first Arab and Moslem Astronaut Mission in space. In 1985, Prince Sultan Bin Salman Al Saud

was selected as Payload Specialist aboard STS-51G. He went through an accelerated training

program to qualify as a Payload Specialist aboard that journey which launched as scheduled on

June 17th, 1985. The seven day space trip entailed the launch of three international satellites

including an historic launch of the second Arab satellite (Arabsat B). It also included a multitude

of experiments designed by a team of Saudi scientists. These had chemical, physical, geologic,

geographical, as well as medical venues of concern. There were a few other novel aspects to this

trip including the deployment and retrieval of a scientific platform to explore the Milky Way, as well

as targeting a phenomenally accurate laser beam within the “Star Wars” initiative.

The trip was a success in every way. Its team was special in that it pioneered international

collaborations in space. In addition to Prince Sultan, the French Scientist Patrick Baudry was a

Payload Specialist on this trip. The 51G trip team included the 100th American, as well as the sixth

lady in space. It also pioneered the very first Moslem prayers, and Ramadan fasting in space, as

well as the real time telephone conversation between a non US Head of State and an astronaut.

This book tells several stories: firstly, there’s the historical background to the mission and its

importance to all Arab countries. It includes the accelerated program for the Saudi Astronaut.

Secondly, there’s the complex science and engineering of the Space Shuttle itself, its perils and

risks, and the details of the mission. Within this context, the story of how sincere efforts by many

different people made this happen is told. The principle aspect here is the human side. Thirdly, there’s

the background and values of space exploration itself. This includes brief chapters written by two

foremost and prominent Arab scientists; Professors Farouk Al Baz and Zaghloul El-Naggar expose

fascinating dimensions of the importance and history of space exploration. Finally a compendium of

space facts is listed throughout the book. It is sincerely hoped that this book’s utility shall be multi-

dimensional and far reaching.

Ahmed and Tarek

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

August 10, 2011 C.E

"Fussilat - Verse Number 53"

« We w

ill sh

ow th

em O

ur S

igns

in th

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verse

, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them

that this (the Q

ur’ân) is the truth. »

www.qurancomplex.org

Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the authors.

Publisher & Printer: Saudi Specialized Publishing CompanyP.O. Box 65701, Riyadh, 11566, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Phone +9661 4401602

ISBN Number:978 - 0 - 615 - 37343 - 0

Printed in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaFirst Printing 2011 C.E – 1432 A.H

“The cover photo is from NASA (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov) STS132-E-7196- showing a sunset over the earth horizon”.

www.sultanbinsalman.sa

www.oneplanetbook.com

One PlanetThe Story of the First Arab Mission to Space

Foreword

HRH Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense

and Aviation, and Inspector General Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Authored byThe First Arab Astronaut

Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Dr. Ahmed N. Abo-khatwa Dr. Tarek A. Fadaak

2011 C.E - 1432 A.H