Making History: First Arab Female Astronaut in Space

The first female Arab astronaut to go to space has made it to the International Space Station (ISS).

“To the people around the world, the future is very bright. I would like you to dream big, believe in yourselves and believe in humanity,” says Saudi Arabian astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi, right before making history.

Barnawi plans to carry out stem cell and breast cancer research during her ten days in orbit on the ISS. Her arrival in space marks a huge advancement in gender equality within her country; only in 2018 did women in Saudi Arabia gain the right to drive. “We hope this mission will inspire girls from various backgrounds in order to advance the human experience,” concludes Mishaal Ashemimry, a Saudi-American aerospace engineer and advisor.