JSRI - Jordan Space Research Initiative

Jordan has officially joined the Artemis Accords. 🇯🇴

This is a historic step in our country’s growing engagement with the global space sector, and a reflection of how seriously space is now being taken as part of Jordan’s future.

It was especially meaningful to see JSRI - Jordan Space Research Initiative and our pioneering analog missions in Wadi Rum highlighted by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration in their coverage: https://www.nasa.gov/organizations/oiir/nasa-welcomes-jordan-as-63rd-artemis-accords-signatory/

Since 2020, JSRI has been working toward building a space ecosystem in Jordan through research, collaboration, and education. We approach this moment not as passive participants, but as active contributors shaping the global space sector through values rooted in sustainability, community, and local empowerment.

We also want to recognize and congratulate all actors involved, particularly our partners at the United Nations-affiliated Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia.

We look forward to continuing to build Jordan’s future in space together. 🚀

[الترجمة العربية في التعليقات]

International Day of Women and Girls in Science ✨

Since 2020, JSRI has been an all-female team building the space ecosystem in Jordan.

We have reached several milestones along the way, including the first Jordanian analog mission in March 2024, with an all-female crew, and the first analog mission in the world composed entirely of Arab women in October 2025.

Representation matters, but it is not the end goal. Being different has enabled us to think differently. It has shaped how we design missions, how we define success, and how we understand responsibility.

Our analog missions are built in partnership with local communities. We reject the long-standing practice in the space sector of imposing research onto Indigenous lands without consent or meaningful engagement.

Everything we do is grounded in community, because diversity within teams does more than change who is seen. It changes the research questions that are asked, how missions are designed, and what values are prioritized. It expands what responsible exploration can look like.

Diversity of identity brings diversity of thought. Diversity of thought strengthens science, builds resilient teams, and supports more ethical exploration.

Today we celebrate women and girls in science and the ways their presence reshapes not only what space exploration looks like, but who it serves and how it is carried forward. 🚀

[Arabic in comments - النسخة العربية متوفرة في التعليقات]

JSRI is proud to share that Merna Zrekat, our Director of Communications & Outreach, represented JSRI and Jordanian youth at the D-8 Youth Dialogue 2025 last week in Baku, Azerbaijan, stepping in for our Founder, Sahba El-Shawa, a UN SDG Young Leader.

The Dialogue, hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Republic (Azərbaycan Respublikasının Gənclər və İdman Nazirliyi), gathered youth delegates, experts, and government officials from all Member States of the D-8 Organization For Economic Cooperation under the theme “Youth Shaping the Future of the Global Urban Agenda.”

Merna spoke at the High-Level Opening Panel alongside ministers, D-8 Secretary General, and COP negotiators. She underscored JSRI’s core message that space is a driver of innovation for climate resilience, supports cities, and advances the SDGs. She highlighted that, for JSRI, sustainability is not only technological; it is cultural, ethical, and human. She reminded the audience that “young people are not standing on the sidelines of change. We are living through it every day.”

During the panel discussion "Transformation for Smart and Inclusive Cities", Merna emphasized that space technologies already shape daily life and that inclusive smart cities require equal access to digital tools and skills, as digital exclusion often reinforces social exclusion.

The Dialogue concluded with the adoption of the D-8 Baku Youth Declaration 2025, reinforcing commitments to , sustainable urban development, green skills, and regional cooperation ahead of 2026 and .

JSRI remains committed to advancing space-for-Earth innovation and ensuring youth voices shape the future of sustainable and climate-resilient cities.

[Arabic in comments - النسخة العربية متوفرة في التعليقات]

We extend our sincere appreciation to H.E. Dr. Bertram von Moltke, Ambassador of Germany to Jordan, for the opportunity to present JSRI’s projects and our participation in the World’s Biggest Analog, held in honor of the visit of Dr. Silke Launert, Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space, to Jordan earlier this month. JSRI was represented at the meeting by our team member and German Jordanian University alumna, Jude Alsaadi. We were further privileged by the presence of HRH Princess Sumaya Bint El Hassan, whose steadfast support for scientific advancement in Jordan is deeply valued.

German Embassy Amman - السفـارة الألمـانيـة عمـان Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt

JSRI’s analog missions in the media ✨

We’re proud to see both of our missions, PETRA-1 and PETRA-2, featured across major media outlets in Jordan and Austria.

🇯🇴 covered PETRA-2, JSRI’s WBA mission and the first analog mission made up entirely of Arab women representing Jordan and Palestine.

🇦🇹 Science , Austria’s leading science platform, and the ORF Science Show heavily featured footage and images from PETRA-1, the first Jordanian analog mission in their coverage of the WBA (both translated here).

From Wadi Rum all the way to Vienna, we’re proud to see our work continuing to inspire curiosity, collaboration, and a vision for sustainable space exploration. 🚀

🌍 PETRA-2 is back on Earth!

After seven days of isolation, our crew stepped out of the habitat this morning to a warm welcome from our hosts in Wadi Rum and their children. Their excitement and curiosity were a beautiful reminder of why we do this work.

As part of the World’s Biggest Analog, PETRA-2 was the second Jordanian space analog mission and a historic mission in many ways, bringing together an all-Arab female crew representing Jordan and Palestine. 👩🏼‍🚀

At JSRI, our analog missions are not only about research but about inspiring the next generation and building meaningful connections with the traditional owners of this land who make this work possible.

T-1 to WBA 🚀 JSRI has landed on Mars!

Our crew (Joud, Sara, and Ghadaq) are officially on site for PETRA-2, the first analog mission made up entirely of Arab women, representing Jordan and Palestine. 🇯🇴🇵🇸

These pictures taken earlier today show the PETRA-2 crew at their Martian dome with the on-site Mission Control team and our local hosts in Wadi Rum, whose partnership and hospitality make this mission possible.

JSRI is proud to be part of the World’s Biggest Analog and to continue redefining what space exploration looks like, grounded in sustainability, respect, and community. Working hand in hand with the original owners of this land is an essential part of our mission’s success and part of what makes JSRI unique in the analog world.

Join us at the WBA Opening Ceremony tomorrow to learn more about our mission! Link in bio ✨

Meet us at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan!

The Jordan Space Research Initiative (JSRI) will be represented at IAC 2024 by our Founder and Executive Director, Sahba El-Shawa, who will be presenting on the groundbreaking PETRA-1 Mission, Jordan’s first analog space mission.

Conducted in the Wadi Rum desert in March 2024, PETRA-1 represents a key advancement in Jordan's contributions to space research and analog missions. We are eager to share our findings and engage with the global space community on the critical role of analog environments in preparing for human space exploration.

Join us on October 18th during the 35th IAA Symposium on Space and Society (E5 Session 6) for our presentation "𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘗𝘌𝘛𝘙𝘈-1: 𝘗𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭, 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨"

In the meantime, you can also watch this mission recap to learn more about PETRA-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzC_tgnBGxM

We look forward to fostering new collaborations and partnerships at IAC 2024.