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Sultan bin Salman Al Saud

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Sultan flew in a space ship.

Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
He went far up in the sky. He was a pilot too. He helped put a tool in space. This was a big job for him. Do you like looking at the stars?

44 words

Sultan is a prince from Saudi Arabia.

Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
He was a pilot for the air force. He also flew in a space ship. This was a very big job. He helped put a tool in space.
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S85-32002.jpg
He was the first person from his land to go to space. He was also very young when he flew. Now, he helps lead a group for space. He likes to fly and explore nature.

76 words

Sultan bin Salman Al Saud is a prince from Saudi Arabia.

Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
He was a pilot for the Royal Saudi Air Force. He also flew in a space shuttle. A space shuttle is a vehicle used to travel to space.

In 1985, he flew on a mission called STS-51-G. He was a payload specialist. This means his job was to help with special tools on the ship. He helped put a satellite into space. A satellite is a machine that orbits a planet. He was the first Arab and the first Muslim to fly in space. He was also the youngest person to fly on a shuttle at age 28.

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Sultan has done many other jobs. He worked in media and tourism. In 2018, he became the chairman of the Saudi Space Commission. This is a group that leads space work in his country. He has also written books about history and space. He likes to fly, ski, and explore nature in his free time.

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Sultan bin Salman Al Saud is a prince from Saudi Arabia who reached the stars.

Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
He made history by becoming the first member of a royal family to fly in space. He was also the first Arab and the first Muslim to travel beyond Earth. At 28 years old, he was the youngest person to ever fly on a space shuttle. This amazing journey helped connect his country to the world of space science. His work shows how people from many different places can work together in orbit.

In June 1985, Sultan flew on a mission called STS-51-G.

Sts-51-g-patch.png
Sts-51-g-patch.png
He served as a payload specialist, which is a person who helps manage special equipment on a spacecraft. He was part of an international crew of seven people. This group included astronauts from America and France. Their main job was to deploy a satellite named ARABSAT-1B. This machine helps provide communications for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization. By helping this satellite reach its place in space, the crew completed a very important task.

Sultan's path to space began with a love for flight and learning. He was born in Riyadh on June 27, 1956. His father is King Salman of Saudi Arabia. Sultan studied mass communications at the University of Denver. Later, he earned a master's degree from Syracuse University in 1999. Before he went to space, he worked in different roles at the Ministry of Information. He even served as a deputy director for Saudi athletes at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

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Sultan has spent much of his life serving his country in many ways. He was a pilot in the Royal Saudi Air Force for many years. He retired as a colonel in 1996. By February 2020, he had over 8,000 hours of flight time as a pilot. In 2018, he became the chairman of the Saudi Space Commission. He also led the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage for many years. He has even been a special advisor to the King with the rank of minister.

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Today, Sultan continues to share his knowledge through writing and leadership. He has written several books about architecture and the first Arab mission to space. He also enjoys flying, gliding, and skiing in his free time. His life connects the history of his family to the future of space travel. Just like a pilot uses a map to find a path, Sultan helps guide his country toward new discoveries. He shows how one person can move from the earth to the sky.

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Sultan bin Salman Al Saud is a Saudi prince and a pioneering figure in space exploration. He made history as the first member of a royal family to travel into space. He also holds the distinction of being the first Arab and the first Muslim to fly in space. During his mission, he was the youngest person to ever fly on a space shuttle, reaching orbit at age 28. His career has spanned many important roles, from military aviation to high-level government leadership. Today, he continues to influence how his country approaches science and heritage.

Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg

In June 1985, Sultan participated in the STS-51-G mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. He served in the role of a payload specialist. A payload specialist is a crew member responsible for managing specific equipment or scientific tasks during a flight. He was part of an international crew consisting of seven members, including astronauts from the United States and France. The primary objective of this mission was to deploy a satellite known as ARABSAT-1B. This satellite was intended to support the Arab Satellite Communications Organization by providing vital communication services.

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Sts-51-g-patch.png

Sultan's journey to space was built on a strong foundation of education and early professional experience. He was born in Riyadh on June 27, 1956. His father is the current King of Saudi Arabia, Salman. Sultan completed his early schooling in Riyadh before moving to the United States for higher education. He earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications from the University of Denver. Later, in 1999, he earned a master's degree in social and political science from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He completed this advanced degree with distinction.

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Before his time in space, Sultan worked in several roles within the Saudi Ministry of Information. He began as a researcher in international communications in 1982. By 1984, he served as the deputy director of the Saudi media committee for athletes at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He also acted as the director for the department of TV advertising. Following his spaceflight, he joined the Royal Saudi Air Force. He served as a pilot and eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He retired from the air force in 1996 with the rank of colonel. His experience as a pilot is extensive, with over 8,000 cumulative flight hours recorded as of February 2020.

Sultan has held several significant leadership positions within the Saudi government. From 2009 until 2018, he served as the president and chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage. He had been the secretary-general of this commission since the year 2000. In this role, he worked on improving the country's tourism and national heritage strategies. In December 2018, he was appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Commission. This position carries the rank of minister. In 2021, he was also named a special advisor to the King and chairman of the King Salman Foundation.

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Sts-51-g-patch.png

Beyond his official duties, Sultan is a published author who focuses on history and culture. He has written books regarding architectural legacy and the history of the first Arab mission to space. One of his works, titled "One planet, the story of the first Arab mission to space," was released in 2011. He has also edited books concerning the traditional adobe building styles found in Saudi Arabia. His writing helps document the heritage of his family and the region. He also maintains a farm in Diriyah that serves as a model of modern facilities set within a historical environment.

Throughout his life, Sultan has received numerous international honors and awards. In 1985, he received the NASA Space Flight Medal and the King Abdulaziz Sash. He has been recognized by many different nations, including Tunisia, Pakistan, and China. His work in helping people with disabilities has also earned him several awards, such as the Arabic Leadership Award in 2015. These honors reflect his diverse contributions to science, diplomacy, and social service. His life connects the historical roots of the Al Saud family to the modern era of space exploration and global cooperation.

693 words
🖼️ Images & Media (3)
File:Sts-51-g-patch.png
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File:Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
Portrait of STS 51-G crew.jpg
File:S85-32002.jpg
S85-32002.jpg
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