King Faisal Foundation is honored to announce and celebrate the exceptional achievement of Rayyanah Barnawi, an accomplished graduate of Alfaisal University, who has been selected as the first female Saudi astronaut to embark on a groundbreaking space mission and one of the first two Saudi astronauts to travel and land on the International Space Station, taking off tomorrow May 21. Rayyanah Barnawi’s remarkable accomplishment serves as a testament to her indomitable spirit, perseverance, and the world-class education she received at Alfaisal University where she earned her master’s degree in biomedical sciences – with the First Class of Honor.
As a biomedical researcher with more than 9 years of experience in stem cell and tissue re-engineering programs at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Rayyanah Barnawi will operate as a mission specialist on the Axiom Space’s Mission 2. She will perform 14 experiments on the International Space Station in low-gravity settings in various fields of medicine, biology, and physics, including immune cell transplantation, artificial rain-seeding, and other experiments on the brain and nervous system. Moreover, she will be conducting educational-awareness experiments for children on Earth for more than 12,000 Saudi students via live feed. In doing so, Rayyanah Barnawi will serve as an inspiration for aspiring students and young scientists, particularly women in Saudi Arabia and the Arab World, who have dreams and goals to travel to space. She will be joined by the Saudi astronaut Ali Al Qarni in her mission to space. The mission is part of the Kingdom’s astronauts’ program, launched on 22 September 2022, and conveys Saudi Arabia’s aspirations in space research, one of Vision 2030 goals.
Growing up in Riyadh, Rayyanah Barnawi has consistently demonstrated an unwavering passion for exploration and learning in general, as she mentioned in a tweet on her personal Twitter account, leading her to scientific research and then to space exploration. Her journey represents a significant milestone in the pursuit of women’s empowerment and serves as a powerful reminder that no dream is too big to achieve with tenacity and perseverance.
King Faisal Foundation, founded in 1976 and renowned for promoting education and scientific research, proudly supports individuals like Rayyanah Barnawi who embody the spirit of exploration, discovery, and innovation. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Rayyanah Barnawi on this historic achievement, which has made Saudi Arabia proud.
Alfaisal University, launched by King Faisal Foundation in 2002and received its first batch of students 15 years ago in 2008, is distinguished for its commitment to academic excellence and is dedicated to fostering the intellectual and professional growth of its students. It takes great pride in the achievements of its graduates. Alfaisal University’s interdisciplinary approach to education and emphasis on research and innovation have contributed to the success of its graduates, as exemplified by Rayyanah Barnawi’s remarkable achievements. Alfaisal University achieved many accomplishments, notably ranking 36th worldwide for young universities under the age of 50, according to the Times Higher Education 2022 ranking, and 8th worldwide in the ranking of the best small universities with a student population of less than 5,000.