A Saudi woman will be sent into space later this year as the country’s first female astronaut for the first time in its history. The state media of KSA reported the news following the kingdom’s pledge to revamp its centuries-old ultra-conservative approach.
She will join fellow Saudi male astronaut Ali Al-Qarni on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in the second quarter of 2023, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
According to the agency, the astronauts will be a part of the crew of the AX-2 space flight, which will launch from the United States.
In 2019, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the first Arab country to send a citizen into space, Hazzaa al-Mansoori, who spent eight days on board the International Space Station. KSA will be the second Muslim country to follow in its footsteps.
The Gulf countries are looking forward to diversifying their energy-dependent economies through a number of projects in a bid to set an example for Muslim countries all over the world. Rich and abundant in resources, the Gulf countries are looking forward to diversifying their energy-reliant economies.
Rayyanah Barnawi, a Saudi female astronaut, will become a beacon of hope and empowerment for Muslim women around the globe.
Women have enjoyed unprecedented freedom in Saudi Arabia since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman rose to power in 2017. The percentage of women working has doubled since 2016, from 17 percent to 37 percent, and they are now allowed to drive and travel abroad without a male guardian.
In 1985, Saudi prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz became the first Arab Muslim to travel into space on a US-organized space mission. Barnawi isn’t the first Saudi astronaut but surely is the first Saudi female to ever step into space – the final frontier.
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