https://apnews.com/37b495baf172f6451c941e12043a456e

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates has purchased a seat on a SpaceX rocket for an Emirati astronaut to journey to the International Space Station for a six-month stay, officials said Friday, the oil-rich federation’s first long-term mission as it advances its ambitions in space.

The UAE purchased the seat on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket through a private Houston-based company, Axiom Space, a space tour operator that has been leading efforts to commercialize the industry. The mission is scheduled for launch next year from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.