KUWAIT: Director General of the Scientific Center, part of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), Rana Al-Nibari, yesterday announced great success in sending the state's first scientific experiment to the International Space Station, describing it as "a historic achievement for Kuwait". In a statement, Nibari expressed pride over the success of the experiment designed by students of the Scientific Center, who worked under difficult circumstances this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Falcon-9 rocket, designed by SpaceX, launched on Sunday from the Kennedy Space Center in the US, carrying with it an experiment designed by Kuwaiti students to be delivered to astronauts on the ISS to carry it out in space on behalf of the students, Nibari said. This experiment was chosen after a competition held by the Scientific Center during the 2019 Space Month event, in cooperation with Orbital Space, which provides access to space through CubeSat technology, she added.

Founder and General Manager of Orbital Space Dr Bassam Al-Fayli expressed thanks and appreciation for the efforts and support of the Scientific Center in creating this opportunity to empower young people and teach them skills to contribute to the development and progress of the space field in order to improve the quality of life on earth.

Director of Educational Activities and Communication at Orbital Space Nada Al-Shammari affirmed keenness to provide educational and scientific opportunities for young people that would develop their capabilities in scientific research, find solutions to challenges and develop their skills in leading and managing scientific projects.

The Scientific Center and Orbital Space cooperated with NASA and international companies specialized in the field of space science to fulfill the students' dream to complete this experiment, provided all the required equipment and created a suitable environment for them, she added. - KUNA