Saudi Arabia to send its first woman astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi to ISS

In line with Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is now preparing to send its first crew to the International Space Station, and part of this crew is 33-year-old Rayyanah Barnawi.

Barnawi will be headed to ISS with fellow astronauts Ali al-Qarni and Mariam Fardous.

Barnawi—a research laboratory specialist—will be the first woman astronaut from Saudi Arabia to go to space. She has over a decade of experience in cancer stem cell research. The Saudi Arabian national has two degrees in biomedical sciences from New Zealand's Otago University and Alfaisal University, Riyadh.

Scheduled to launch from the US, Abdullah Bin Amer Al-Swaha, Chairman of the Saudi Space Commission, said the Kingdom’s leadership is bullish about giving unlimited support to its space programme. 

The country aims to activate scientific innovations at the level of space sciences and increase the ability to conduct research, which focuses on the future of the industry and the country.  

The astronauts will receive their training as part of the Saudi Space Commission’s Spaceflight programme, which is organised in collaboration with the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Defence, and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, according to Al Arabiya.

Saudi Space Commission CEO Mohammed Bin Saud al-Tamimi said the mission is to bring two astronauts of the same nationality aboard the International Space Station, simultaneously.

For any press-related queries or to share your press releases, write to us at [email protected].