Rayyanah Barnawi
The Saudi research scientist and astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi, who was born in 1988 in the city of Riyadh. She possessed a great passion for discovery and science, which led her to study in New Zealand at the University of Otago, where she obtained her bachelor's degree in reproduction, genetic engineering, and tissue development. She did not stop there; rather, she continued at Alfaisal University to earn her master's degree in biomedical sciences with first-class honors.
Rayyanah spent more than 9 years of her professional career inside sterile and closed rooms as a research and development specialist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. Throughout those years, Rayyanah dedicated herself to studying stem cells and conducting precise and extensive research on breast cancer, where she would spend long hours behind the microscope to examine the behavior of cells and tumors, and to formulate biochemical equations that contribute to understanding cancer and finding advanced therapeutic solutions to save patients' lives.
In 2022, Rayyanah’s career took a turn when the Saudi Space Commission officially announced the launch of the Kingdom’s astronaut program, and she was selected to be part of this historic crew sent to represent the nation on a scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Between late 2022 and 2023, Rayyanah underwent a rigorous and intensive training program at astronaut training centers affiliated with the American space agency "NASA" and the company "Axiom Space" in Texas and Florida. The training included full adaptation to the microgravity environment, alongside strenuous psychological and physical preparation to handle critical emergencies.
On May 21, 2023, a "Falcon 9" rocket launched carrying the "Dragon" spacecraft, owned by SpaceX, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, heading toward the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-2 mission. At that moment, Rayyanah achieved two historic titles: she became the first Saudi woman to fly into space, and the first Arab and Muslim woman to reach the International Space Station.
It was an intensive, hands-on mission journey; she transferred her medical laboratory from Earth to space, and Rayyanah conducted 14 practical and research experiments during nearly 10 days aboard the international station. The experiments focused on studying the behavior of stem cells, immune cells, and breast cancer cells in a microgravity environment to compare them with their behavior on Earth. This opens new horizons for developing advanced treatments and combating cancerous tumors, in addition to cloud-seeding experiments in space, through which she focused on studying atom interactions and fluid behavior under the influence of microgravity, in order to assist ground research and improve future rainfall technologies.
As for educational and awareness experiences, Rayyanah established a direct knowledge link through a live broadcast and interactive communication with more than 12,000 male and female students in Saudi schools. She shared the scientific experiments with them live and answered their questions to plant the seeds of passion in their minds for space sciences and the future of aviation.
After successfully completing her mission, Rayyanah returned to Earth to receive an unprecedented national and international welcome, and she earned high honors for her contribution to raising the banner of science and innovation. By virtue of this achievement, Rayyanah did not just record her name as the first Saudi, Arab, and Muslim woman in Earth's orbit; rather, she established a strategic pillar in the Kingdom’s vision to develop STEM fields and space, becoming an inspiration to all coming generations, proving to the entire world that the ambition of Arab minds knows no impossible.
