Sultan bin Salman Al Saud
His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 27 June 1956 |
| Nationality | Saudi Arabian |
| Alma mater | University of Denver Syracuse University |
| Occupation | Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Commission |
| Parents |
|
| Occupation | Fighter pilot |
| Space career | |
| Payload Specialist | |
| Rank | Colonel, Royal Saudi Air Force |
Time in space | 7d 01h 38m |
| Missions | STS-51-G |
Mission insignia |  |
Sultan bin Salman Al Saud (Arabic: سلطان بن سلمان آل سعود; Sulṭān bin Salmān Āl Suʿūd; born 27 June 1956) is a Saudi prince. He is also a former Royal Saudi Air Force pilot. He is the oldest surviving son of King Salman.[1]
Astronaut career[change | change source]
Sultan flew aboard the American STS-51-G Space Shuttle mission as a payload specialist. He is the first member of a royal family to fly in space,[1] the first Arab to fly in space,[1] and the first Muslim to fly in space, as well as (at 28 years old) the youngest person ever to fly on the Space Shuttle.[1]
At the time of his space flight, Sultan had over 1,000 hours of flight time; as of February 2020, he has over 8,000 flight hours as a military and civilian pilot.[2]
He helped create the Association of Space Explorers, an international organization made-up of all astronauts and cosmonauts who have been in space.
Later life[change | change source]
On 27 December 2018, he was appointed as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Commission at the rank of minister.[3]
Personal life[change | change source]
Sultan was born in Riyadh on 27 June 1956,[4][5] as the second son of Prince Salman, then governor of Riyadh province and now King of Saudi Arabia.[6] His mother was Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi.[7]
Sultan bin Salman is married to Princess Haifa, daughter of Prince Saud bin Faisal, the former minister of foreign affairs of Saudi Arabia and the son of King Faisal.[8] They have three children.[9]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 John Lawton; Patricia Moody (January–February 1986). "A Prince in Space". Saudi Aramco World. 37 (1). Archived from the original on 7 May 2012.
- ↑ "Sultan Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Other qualifications". Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ↑ "A number of Royal Orders Issued". Saudi Press Agency. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ↑ "Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz". Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiques. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ↑ "Biographies of international astronauts". Space Facts. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ↑ "Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz". Official Website. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- ↑ "Princess Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi dies". Arab News. 1 August 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ↑ Sabri Sharaf (2001). The House of Saud in Commerce: A Study of Royal Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. Sharaf Sabri. p. 142. ISBN 978-81-901254-0-6.
- ↑ "Family tree of Sultan bin Salman". Datarabia. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
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