DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will launch a training program with the goal of sending its own astronauts, including a woman, into space next year.
The kingdom is actively promoting science and technology as part of its wide-ranging Vision 2030 plan to overhaul its economy and reduce its dependency on oil.
The plan, championed by Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also calls for greater integration of women into the workforce of the Muslim country. Saudi Arabia lifted a long-standing ban on women driving in 2018.
“The Saudi Astronaut Program, which is an integral part of the kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030, will send Saudi astronauts into space to help better serve humanity,” the Saudi Space Commission said in a statement….