A Journey Beyond the Stars: My Experience with the Saudi Space Agency Course and Meeting an Astronaut

I had the opportunity to participate in a specialized space program organized by the Saudi Space Agency, in collaboration with TSTI (Teaching Science and Technology Inc.) and Stevens Institute of Technology. The course, titled “Understanding Space”, offered an in-depth look into space systems engineering and astronautics.

This is the certificate I received upon completing the program.

The program combined technical lectures with hands-on learning. We worked on team projects, participated in space mission simulations, and delivered presentations that challenged our problem-solving and collaboration skills. Topics included orbit design, human spaceflight, rocket systems, and more.

This is the official daily agenda and syllabus of the “Understanding Space” program, outlining the modules, exercises, and team activities we participated in throughout the course.

Each team was guided by one of ten professional coaches, who led daily meetings to support, mentor, and help us align with our mission goals. These sessions were valuable for teamwork, reflection, and continuous improvement.

We had the privilege of learning under the guidance of distinguished professors and experts in the field, including Dr. Marty France, Sally Baron, and Amanda Wartner, whose expertise and mentorship greatly enriched the learning experience.

A Picture that was taken at the end of the course

A Picture that was taken at the end of the course

One of the most memorable moments was meeting Dr. Jim “JR” Reilly, a former NASA astronaut with over 856 hours in space. His inspiring talk gave us insight into what it truly means to be part of a space mission—not only technically, but also mentally and emotionally.

This is the official announcement shared during the program, informing us that we would have the opportunity to meet a real astronaut.

A live moment from our meeting with NASA astronaut Dr. Jim “JR” Reilly.

Watch a clip from the session here:

Watch Astronaut Talk

As part of the program, my team and I developed a final mission project where we applied what we learned across the modules. From mission planning to orbit design, we brought together our skills in one presentation.

You can view our final project presentation here:

View Final Project

This experience deepened my passion for space, strengthened my skills in technical communication and teamwork, and encouraged me to continue exploring the connection between advanced technology and space innovation.