By Smartencyclopedia with agencies

Rayyanah Barnawi becomes kingdom’s 1st woman in space

Saudi Arabia successfully launched its astronauts towards the International Space Station, marking a significant achievement for the kingdom.

Rayyanah Barnawi, a stem cell researcher, became Saudi Arabia’s first woman in space, accompanied by Ali al-Qarni, a Royal Saudi Air Force jet pilot.

The launch event was broadcasted live on the official Saudi Al-Ekhbariya channel via Twitter. This mission, organized by Axiom Space, aims to conduct scientific and research experiments to enhance Saudi Arabia’s global standing in the field of space exploration.

The Saudi Space Commission had previously launched a program for astronauts to qualify Saudi cadres for space flights and engage in international research and future space missions.

The Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have demonstrated an increasing interest in space exploration, with the Emirati space explorer Rashid Rover embarking on a mission to the Moon in 2022.