RIYADH, 1 May  — NASA astronaut Kathryn P. Hire visited yesterday the Space Research Institute of King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology. She was received by Dr. Turki ibn Saud ibn Muhammad Al Saud, director of the institute, who showed her around various facilities at the institute. “We have some ongoing cooperation with NASA which we are in the process of expanding,” Dr. Turki said without elaborating. Kathryn’s visit to the Kingdom takes place against the background of a multi-faceted program with the United States in space exploration. Besides KACST, Kathryn also visited some Saudi schools where she spoke to the schoolchildren on the adventures of space flight.