Rayyanah Barnawi becomes first Arab woman to arrive at ISS

May 22, 2023

Astronaut and scientist Rayyanah Barnawi makes history as the first Arab woman to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS). On Sunday evening, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched four private astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to ISS on Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) the world’s second all-private astronaut mission, Ax-2 said in a statement. Saudis Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Alqarni are part of Axiom Mission 2 that also includes commander Peggy Whitson and pilot John Shoffner. Their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked at the ISS at 5.12pm UAE time. The four astronauts travelled 16 hours to reach their destination, where they will spend eight days. According to reports, the Saudi astronauts have taken traditional coffee and dates to the ISS to share with the ISS crew members, including AlNeyadi.

#Ax2 has arrived! The @SpaceX Dragon crew ship with four private astronauts from @Axiom_Space docked to the station at 9:12am ET today. They will enter the orbital outpost soon live on @NASA TV. https://t.co/sakzLf25b7
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) May 22, 2023

The astronauts are expected to depart the space station on May 30, “pending weather, for a return to Earth and splashdown at a landing site off the coast of Florida”, according to Nasa. The mission is significant as it will mark the first time two Arab countries are represented in the orbiting space laboratory, and the first time three Arab astronauts will work together on a scientific mission 400km above Earth.