In a promising move, Saudi Arabia announced that they would be sending a woman astronaut into space for the first time in their history. The Saudi Press Agency announced that the astronaut, Rayyana Barnawi, would be part of the space mission to the International Space Station (ISS) that is expected to be carried out in the second quarter of 2023. With this decision, Saudi Arabia steps up with its moves to revamp the kingdom’s ultra-conservative image.
A Female Biomedical Researcher On Board
Rayyana Barnawi will be joining her fellow astronaut Ali Al-Qarni on a space mission to the ISS by the second quarter of 2023. The announcement, which came on February 12, stated that the country aims to “empower Saudi capabilities in human spaceflight geared towards serving humanity and benefiting from the promising opportunities offered by the space industry.”
The astronauts would be joining the crew of the “AX-2 space mission,” and the flight would be launched from the USA. Barnawi, the 33-year-old biomedical researcher, has over nine years of research experience. She completed her Bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences from the reputed Otago University in New Zealand and then went on to receive her Master’s in the subject from Riyadh’s Alfaisal University. Flying off into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, Barnawi would be responsible for conducting several experiments.
تعرّف على رائدة الفضاء: ريّانة برناوي
السعودية #نحو_الفضاءMeet the astronaut: Rayyanah Barnawi
Saudi Arabia Towards Space pic.twitter.com/o5qMWYJUwF— الهيئة السعودية للفضاء (@saudispace) February 12, 2023
She would make history by becoming the first female Muslim astronaut from Saudi Arabia. However, she would not be the first Muslim woman in space. According to a New Indian Express report, this title was secured by Irani-American Anousheh Ansari when she flew to the International Space Station as a space tourist in 2006.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision In Space Research
Gulf monarchies have been looking to diversify their energy-reliant economies through a plethora of projects. This also includes revamping their otherwise conservative image by bringing in more inclusivity and participation. Since the rise of Saudi de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017, the kingdom has been pushing for several reforms. Under his regime, earlier rules were broken to enable women to drive and even travel abroad without a male guardian.
Women’s proportion in the workforce has also doubled ever since, from 17 per cent in 2016 to 37 per cent in recent times. Inclusion of women astronauts in the upcoming space mission stands as proof of this fact. The ambitious space mission is a collaboration between the Saudi Human Spaceflight Program and a US-based private spaceflight company. Established under the Saudi Space Commission (SSC), the Human Spaceflight Program is a part of the Crown Prince’s Vision 2030 which seeks to diversify the country away from its fossil-fuel economy. Under the program, two more women astronauts are being trained, including Mariam Fardous.
However, Saudi Arabia’s foray into space is not the first in the country’s history. Back in 1985, Saudi royal Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, an airforce pilot, took part in a US-organised space mission and became the first-ever Arab Muslim to travel to space. Fast forward to 2018, Saudi Arabia sets up their space programme in collaboration with the US for economic diversification.
Also Read: From Karnal To NASA: Kalpana Chawla Continues To Inspire Young Girls In India
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2023-02-15 09:44:59.0
Envisioning Equality! Meet Rayyana Barnawi, Saudi Arabia’s First Woman Astronaut Set To Take Off To Space
