Rayana Barnawi, the first Arab astronaut, describes her experience and journey

Rayana Barnawi, the first Saudi and Arab astronaut, was presented by journalist Sherif Amer in a special issue to celebrate her pioneering experience in the scientific field, representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the “Happening in Egypt” program. As a member of the SSA-HSF1 flight crew on the International Space Station (ISS).

Rayana Barnawi spent 10 full days aboard the International Space Station on the first scientific mission of its kind.

Rayana Al-Barnawi talks about her experience as an astronaut She was the first Saudi and Arab astronaut, and became a researcher in the fields of stem cells, genetic engineering, and tissue development. Regarding the impact of this experience on her life, she said: “The simplest description of this experience is the slogan of the Saudi National Day: ‘We dream and we achieve.’ It was an ambition for many young men and women. But for me, it has become a reality.”

Regarding her dream of becoming an astronaut, she said: “My father taught me to answer any question. He encouraged me to search for answers and puzzles instead of providing answers directly.” We thank God for the patient’s hope and that we have come a long way in recent years to achieve that hope. "

She added that after graduation, she began working as a researcher, and it happened that the Saudi Space Agency at that time was recruiting people to conduct scientific experiments in space, so she was motivated to carry out scientific experiments in the field of stem cells and tissues, which will benefit all of humanity.

Rayana talks about her mother's role She further added: “After obtaining my master’s degree, I worked at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and for 10 years my specialty was in the field of stem cells, especially in the field of breast cancer.” “I always love it and try to find new things,” she said.

Rayana spoke about her family’s interactions during the space flight as follows: “During the entire 60-day period during the nomination stage, after taking the test, the first people I talked to were my father, my mother, and my siblings, and after the selection stage my motivation was that my father always repeated that saying Which I believe in: "Honor after honor."

She said about the requirements for astronauts: “You need skills, the most important of which are exploration, leadership, and the ability to carry out multiple tasks.”