{{Short description|Saudi astronaut (born 1988)}} {{Infobox astronaut | name = Rayyanah Barnawi | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image =Rayyanah Barnawi (cropped).jpg | image_size =250px | alt = | caption = Barnawi in 2023 | type = | native_name = {{nobold|ريانة برناوي}} | native_name_lang = ar | nationality = <!-- use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT --> | status = Active | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1988|9}} | birth_place = Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coords = | other_names = | occupation = | current_occupation = | previous_occupation = | alma_mater = | rank = | space_time = 9 days, 5 hours and 27 minutes | selection = 2023 | evas = | eva_time = <!-- h m s --> | missions = Axiom Mission 2 | insignia = | retirement = <!-- {{end date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | awards = | memorials = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | module = | child = }} '''Rayyanah Barnawi''' ({{langx|ar|ريانة برناوي}}; born September 1988)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.axiomspace.com/astronaut/rayyanah-barnawi |title=Meet Rayyanah Barnawi, Ax-2 Mission Specialist |publisher=Axiom Space |access-date=23 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.vogue.me/culture/rayyanah-barnawi-first-female-saudi-astronaut-space/ |title=Get to Know Rayyanah Barnawi, Saudi Arabia’s First Female Astronaut |work=Vogue |date=16 February 2023 }}</ref> is a biomedical researcher<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 February 2023 |title=Saudi Arabia to send its first woman astronaut into space |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/rayyanah-barnawi-saudi-arabia-female-astronaut-b2281763.html |access-date=14 February 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> and astronaut. She is the first Saudi female astronaut, selected for Axiom Mission 2 as a mission specialist<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alaeva |first=Liliia |date=14 February 2023 |title=Saudi Arabia will send a woman into space for the first time |url=https://universemagazine.com/en/rayyanah-barnawi-will-become-the-first-woman-astronaut-from-saudi-arabia/ |access-date=14 February 2023 |website=Журнал The Universemagazine Space Tech |language=en-US}}</ref> by the Saudi Space Commission; her selection was officially announced on February 12, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=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 |url=https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2425562#2425562 |access-date=14 February 2023 |website=www.spa.gov.sa}}</ref>
==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== At the time of her selection, she worked as a research laboratory technician at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. As part of the mission, she conducted mission experiments in her field.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Mike Wall |date=13 February 2023 |title=SpaceX to launch 1st Saudi woman to space on private Ax-2 mission |url=https://www.space.com/first-saudi-arabian-woman-space-spacex-ax-2 |access-date=14 February 2023 |publisher=Space.com}}</ref>
On May 22, 2023, Barnawi arrived at the International Space Station on board SpaceX ship Crew Dragon ''Freedom''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 May 2023 |title=First Arab female astronaut reaches space station |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-65671485 |publisher= BBC}}</ref>
She is the first Saudi woman in space<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/22/spacex-sends-saudi-astronauts-including-first-arab-woman-to-iss#:~:text=News%7CSpace-,SpaceX%20sends%20Saudi%20astronauts%2C%20including%20first%20Arab%20woman%2C%20to%20ISS,woman%20to%20go%20to%20space.&text=A%20private%20rocket%20carrying%20the,International%20Space%20Station%20(ISS).</ref> and is considered as the 600th person to fly in Earth orbit.<ref>[http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052123a-600th-person-earth-orbit-ax2-launch.html 600th person to orbit Earth lifts off on Ax-2 mission to space station]</ref>
In 2024 she received the Visionary Award of the Middle East Institute.<ref>[https://www.mei.edu/blog/i-voiced-arabic-greeting-voyagers-golden-record-international-space-cooperation-offers-model I voiced the Arabic greeting on Voyager’s Golden Record: International space cooperation offers a model for peace in today’s Middle East]</ref>
== See also ==
* History of women in aviation in Saudi Arabia
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Spaceflight|Saudi Arabia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnawi, Rayyanah}} Category:1988 births Category:21st-century Saudi Arabian women scientists Category:21st-century Saudi Arabian scientists Category:Living people Category:People from Jeddah Category:Saudi Arabian astronauts Category:Saudi Arabian people of African descent Category:Alfasial University alumni Category:University of Otago alumni Category:Women astronauts Category:Axiom Space people