Sultan bin Salman Al Saud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
His Royal Highness Prince
Sultan bin Salman Al Saud
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Sultan bin Salman in 2016
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| 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 |
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| Occupation | Fighter pilot |
| Space career | |
| Payload Specialist | |
| Rank | Colonel, Royal Saudi Air Force |
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Time in space
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7d 01h 38m |
| Missions | STS-51-G |
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Mission insignia
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Sultan bin Salman Al Saud (born 27 June 1956) is a Saudi prince and a former pilot for the Royal Saudi Air Force. He made history by flying aboard the American STS-51-G Space Shuttle mission. He was a payload specialist on this flight.
Prince Sultan is famous for several firsts:
- He was the first member of a royal family to fly in space.
- He was the first Arab to travel to space.
- He was also the first Muslim to fly in space.
- At 28 years old, he was the youngest person ever to fly on a space shuttle.
In 2018, he was chosen to lead the Saudi Space Commission. He is the oldest living son of King Salman and a grandson of Saudi Arabia's founder, King Abdulaziz.
Contents
Early Life and School
Sultan was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 27 June 1956. His father, Prince Salman, was the governor of Riyadh province at the time. Today, his father is the King of Saudi Arabia. His mother was Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi.
Sultan finished his early schooling in Riyadh. He later went to the University of Denver where he earned a degree in mass communications. In 1999, he received a master's degree in social and political science from Syracuse University.
Becoming an Astronaut
Sultan bin Salman began his career in 1982. He worked as a researcher at the Ministry of Information in Saudi Arabia. He also helped with media for Saudi athletes at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
His big adventure happened from 17 to 24 June 1985. He flew into space as a payload specialist on the Space Shuttle Discovery. He was part of a seven-person international crew. This crew included astronauts from America and France. Prince Sultan represented the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (ARABSAT). His job was to help launch their satellite, ARABSAT-1B.
After his space flight, he helped create the Association of Space Explorers. This group brings together all astronauts and cosmonauts who have been to space. Prince Sultan is still a member of this important international committee.
In 1985, Prince Sultan recorded a special message for the Live Aid concert. This message was shown on MTV. He talked about his recent trip to space. He was one of many famous people who shared messages for the event.
Prince Sultan joined the Royal Saudi Air Force in 1985. He retired from the air force in 1996. He has flown for over 8,000 hours as a pilot.
Important Roles
In December 2018, Prince Sultan became the head of the Saudi Space Commission. This is a very important role for Saudi Arabia's space plans.
Before this, from 2009, he was the president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH). He helped improve Saudi Arabia's plans for tourism and protecting its history.
In May 2021, Prince Sultan was named a special advisor to the King. He also became the head of the King Salman Foundation. This is a new organization that helps people.
Books Written by Sultan bin Salman
Prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud has written several books. They include:
- Early Documents in (Saudi) Architectural Legacy (2010)
- The Architectural Heritage (2010)
- One planet, the story of the first Arab mission to space (2011)
- The Possible Imagination (2011)
He also helped edit a book called Back to Earth: Adobe Building in Saudi Arabia (2015).
Family Life
Prince Sultan bin Salman is married to Princess Haifa. She is the daughter of Prince Saud bin Faisal, who was a former foreign minister of Saudi Arabia. They have three children.
His son, Salman, was born in 1990. His daughter was born in 1994. Both of his children studied at St. Andrew's University in Scotland.
Prince Sultan enjoys flying, skiing, and exploring nature. He has a farm in Diriyah. This farm shows how modern ideas can mix with historical settings. It also helps him learn more about his family's history.
Awards and Recognition
Prince Sultan has received many awards for his achievements. Some of these include:
- The King Abdulaziz Sash, Saudi Arabia (1985)
- Certificate of Appreciation from NASA (1985)
- NASA Space Flight Medal (1985)
- Officier de la Légion d’Honneur from France (1985)
- First Class Order of the Republic from Tunisia (1985)
- Al Bahrain Medal First Class from Bahrain (1985)
- Hilal-I Pakistan (Order of Pakistan) from Pakistan (1986)
- Honorary PhD from The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (1987)
- Golden Medal of Science and Art from Sudan (1987)
- Independence Medal First Class from the United Arab Emirates (1987)
- Medal of National Arts from Lebanon (1987)
- Sultan Qaboos Medal from Oman (1987)
- Independence Sash from Qatar (1987)
- Medal of Sash First Class from Kuwait (1987)
- Order of Merit First Class from Yemen (1987)
- Medal of Stars, Grand Sash from China (1987)
- Iraqi Air Force Badge from Iraq (1987)
- Order of the Throne from Morocco (1987)
- Military Honor Medal from Syria (1988)
- Commandeur de l’Ordre de la Grande Étoile de Djibouti from Djibouti
- Medal for Participation in the Gulf War from Kuwait (1993)
- Liberation of Kuwait Medal, Second Class, from Kuwait (1993)
- Liberation of Kuwait Medal, Saudi Armed Forces (1993)
- Certificate of Recognition from the Space Studies Institute, US
- Man of the Year for Benevolent Work 1997 for his help with disabled people
- Certificate of Recognition from Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine, US (1999)
- “Man of the Year 2003” Prize in Information Technology (2004)
- Wisam Al-Hussain, Grade 1, from King Abdullah II of Jordan (2005)
- Chancellor's Medal by Syracuse University (2012)
- CEO KSA Award for Tourism & Hospitality (2012)
- Leadership Award from the Arab Hotel Investment Conference (2014)
- King Leopold Medal from King Philip of Belgium (2014)
- Middle East Municipalities Award in Cultural & Heritage Preservation (2014)
- Harvard University named him Chief Representative of the Arabian Region and the Middle East in Tourism Leaders program (2014)
- Creativity Award from Souq Okaz Higher Committee (2015)
- Arabic Leadership Award in the Care of Disabled (2015)
- UNWTO Award for his work in tourism development (2017)
- First Class of the National Order of Merit, Tunisia (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Sultán bin Salmán para niños
