Rayyanah_Barnawi

Rayyanah Barnawi

Rayyanah Barnawi

Saudi astronaut (born 1988)

Rayyanah Barnawi (Arabic: ريانة برناوي; born September 1988)[1][2] is a biomedical researcher[3] and astronaut. She is the first Saudi female astronaut, selected for Axiom Mission 2 as a mission specialist[4] by the Saudi Space Commission; her selection was officially announced on February 12, 2023.[5]

Quick Facts Born, Status ...

Education and research

She holds a Bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences from University of Otago. She also holds a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences from Alfaisal University, where she studied the adhesion of breast cancer stem cells.

Astronaut

When she was selected she was working as a research laboratory technician at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. As part of the mission, she is conducting mission experiments in her field.[6]

On May 22, 2023, Barnawi arrived at the International Space Station on-board SpaceX ship Crew Dragon Freedom.[7]

She is the first Arab woman in space[8] and is considered as the 600th person to fly in Earth orbit.[9]

In 2024 she received the Visionary Award of the Middle East Institute[10].

References

  1. [1]
    "Meet Rayyanah Barnawi, Ax-2 Mission Specialist". Axiom Space. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  2. [2]
    "Get to Know Rayyanah Barnawi, Saudi Arabia's First Female Astronaut". Vogue. 16 February 2023.
  3. [3]
    "Saudi Arabia to send its first woman astronaut into space". The Independent. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  4. [4]
    Alaeva, Liliia (14 February 2023). "Saudi Arabia will send a woman into space for the first time". Журнал The Universemagazine Space Tech. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  5. [5]
    "In Line with Vision 2030, the Kingdom Returns to Space by Sending a Male and Female Astronaut to the International Space Station The official Saudi Press Agency". www.spa.gov.sa. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  6. [6]
    Mike Wall (13 February 2023). "SpaceX to launch 1st Saudi woman to space on private Ax-2 mission". Space.com. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  7. [7]
    "First Arab female astronaut reaches space station". BBC. 22 May 2023.
  8. [8]
  9. [9]
    600th person to orbit Earth lifts off on Ax-2 mission to space station
  10. [10]
    I voiced the Arabic greeting on Voyager’s Golden Record: International space cooperation offers a model for peace in today’s Middle East
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