Space Science and the Arab World : Astronauts, Observatories and Nationalism in the Middle East

When Sultan bin Salman left Earth on the shuttle Discovery in 1985, he became the first Arab, first Muslim and first member of a royal family in space. Twenty-five years later, the discovery of a planet 500 light years away by the Qatar Exoplanet Survey – subsequently named ‘Qatar-1b'– was evidence of the cutting-edge space science projects taking place across the Middle East.

"Going beyond the cliche of an Arab astronomy that peaked in the Middle Ages then fell into decadence, Jorg Matthias Determann paints a picture of modern Arab space science, from eclipse expeditions at the beginning of the twentieth century to the first exoplanets detected by the Qatari Survey, putting it into the context of the turbulent history of the region and finding a common theme in the conflict between nationalism and cosmopolitanism that pervades modern Arab societies." - Nature Astronomy

"Due to their histories and geopolitical importance, the Arab countries of the Middle East are often in the headlines, but rarely in connection with science in general or the exploration of space in particular. This book provides a fresh perspective on life in this part of the world and on the history of space exploration." - Christopher Gainor (Royal Astronomical Society of Canada) in Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly

"Determann's excellent, detailed historical exploration is a must-read scholarly milestone. Highly readable and enjoyable, this work can help instructors to set the record straight and convey the richness and complexity of the contemporary state of science in the Arab world." - Stefano Bigliardi (Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane) in Endeavour