Saudi Arabia Plans to Send Female Astronaut to Space in 2023

Saudi Arabia Plans to Send Female Astronaut to Space in 2023
Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan bin Salman talks at the Global Aerospace Summit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, about his 1985 experience as the first Arab and Muslim to travel to space aboard NASA's Discovery shuttle, on March 8, 2016. Aya Batrawy/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

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.