“The celebrations will include a major space and aeronautics technology conference in which Saudi and NASA experts will make presentations and share their views,” said Dr. Mohammed Al-Suwaiyel, KACST president.

Al-Suwaiyel said the conference  — entitled “the Saudi International Space and Aeronautics Technology Conference”  — has attracted several NASA leaders, astronauts, a Nobel Prize winner and a unique group of renowned space scientists.

“Participating in the opening session of the conference will be Prince Sultan, Gen. Charles F. Bolden, a NASA administrator and a veteran astronaut of four space shuttle flights,” said the KACST chief.

He added that they will be joined by Vice President of KACST Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed, who is the pioneer developer of the Saudi space program. Both KACST executives, Al-Suwaiyel and Prince Turki, were part of the Kingdom's team of scientists who supported Prince Sultan's STS 51-G mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985.

Prince Sultan, he said, flew aboard the space shuttle as a payload specialist. He is the first Arab and Muslim who had the sole distinction to travel in space. A certified civil pilot, Prince Sultan is also a fighter pilot. The prince also holds the record for being the youngest person to fly on a space shuttle at the age of 28.

“This will be a great occasion,” said Al-Suwaiyel, adding that the Kingdom is hosting several events to commemorate this achievement.

He pointed out that some events, besides the conference, would take place on Saturday and Sunday at KACST’s headquarters. The conference program on the first day will also include an open discussion with three astronauts: Russell L. Schweickart, who took part in pioneering missions on both the Apollo Lunar Module and the first Sky Lab; Col. Steven R. Nagel, a four-time veteran of space flights; and Dr. Shannon Lucid, a woman astronaut and biochemist who was also aboard mission STS 51-G.

Professor Charles William Everitt, a scientist renowned for his work on the development of satellite design, and Professor Robert Beyer, who served as head of the Hansen Experimental Physics Lab at Stanford as chairman of the Applied Physics Department, will also attend the programs.

“In fact, we are pleased that such a distinguished international delegation from NASA and members of the scientific community will join us at this conference and commemoration events at KACST,” said Prince Turki.

Many other high-profile participants will also take part in the programs including Gen. Mohammad Al-Ayesh, commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Mana, member of the Shoura Council, and Abdullah Al-Dabbagh, president of Maaden. Dr. Pete S. Worden, NASA's research center director, will deliver a presentation.