{"id":159693,"date":"2023-05-17T11:54:51","date_gmt":"2023-05-17T11:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culture.org\/?p=159693"},"modified":"2023-05-18T09:12:42","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T09:12:42","slug":"a-historic-leap-saudi-woman-to-reach-orbit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culture.org\/special-interest\/a-historic-leap-saudi-woman-to-reach-orbit\/","title":{"rendered":"A Historic Leap: Saudi Woman to Reach Orbit"},"content":{"rendered":"           <!--  <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n                jQuery(document).ready(function() {\r\n                    jQuery(\".key-accordion-item .key-menu\").on(\"click\", function() {\r\n                        if (jQuery(this).parent().hasClass(\"active\")) {\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                        } else {\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-content\").slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-accordion-item\").removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().addClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideDown();\r\n                        }\r\n                    });\r\n                })\r\n            <\/script> -->\r\n\r\n\r\n            <!-- start html -->\r\n\r\n            <div class=\"news-key-takeaway-wapper\">\r\n                                <span style=\"background-color:#39b54a;\">Key Takeaways<\/span>\r\n                <ul class=\"news-key-nbox\" style=\"border-color:#39b54a;background-color:rgba(57, 181, 74, 0.1);\">\r\n                                                        <li>Rayyanah Barnawi, a Saudi astronaut, is set to become the first Arab woman to reach orbit as part of the second privately-funded mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by Axiom Space.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>Barnawi's journey highlights the expanding frontiers of private space travel and the growing inclusivity in the traditionally male-dominated field of space exploration.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>Born in 1990, Barnawi is not only an astronaut but also a laboratory research specialist with a background in Reproductive Science, Genetic Engineering, and Tissue Development.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The Saudi Space Commission selected Barnawi as part of their astronaut program, aligning with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 to empower Saudi individuals to engage in space exploration and scientific research.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The Axiom mission includes several firsts, such as the first Arab woman to reach orbit and the collaboration with the regular ISS crew to carry out science, outreach, and commercial activities.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>While in orbit, the astronauts will work on initiatives like the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge, aimed at developing innovative food production methods for deep-space missions.<\/li>\r\n                                                <\/ul>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            \n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A significant milestone in space exploration is on the horizon as Rayyanah Barnawi, a Saudi astronaut, is set to become the first Arab woman to reach orbit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The journey is part of the second privately-funded mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by Axiom Space, set to launch on Sunday, May 21.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This ambitious mission not only underlines the expanding frontiers of private space travel but also underscores the growing inclusivity in the traditionally male-dominated field of space exploration.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>A New Chapter for Arab Women in Space<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barnawi&#8217;s journey to the ISS is a historic one, demonstrating the potential of women in the region to participate in high-stakes, cutting-edge fields.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Born in 1990, Barnawi is not only an astronaut, but she is also a laboratory research specialist with a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Reproductive Science, Genetic Engineering, and Tissue Development from the University of Otago, New Zealand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her background in cancer stem cells further enriches her multidisciplinary expertise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Saudi Space Commission selected Barnawi and fellow Saudi astronaut Ali Al-Qarni for the AX-2 space mission as a part of their astronaut program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This initiative is a series of steps towards empowering Saudi individuals to engage in space exploration and contribute to scientific research, aligning with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>                        <!-- <div class=\"container-c\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- <div class=\"row justify-content-between\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- <div class=\"col-post-800\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- start html -->\r\n                        <div class=\"blockquote-wapper\">\r\n                            <div>\r\n                                <span class=\"text_quot\">\r\n                                    <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Born in 1990, Barnawi is not only an astronaut, but she is also a laboratory research specialist with a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Reproductive Science, Genetic Engineering, and Tissue Development from the University of Otago, New Zealand.<\/span><\/p>\n                                <\/span>\r\n\r\n                                <div class=\"quot_icon\">\r\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-content\/themes\/culture\/icons\/i_quot.svg\" type=\"image\/svg+xml\">\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n\r\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"quot_tick\" src=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-content\/themes\/culture\/icons\/i_quot_tri.svg\" type=\"image\/svg+xml\">\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <!-- end html -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                                    <\/h2>\n<h2><b>A Mission of Many Firsts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Axiom mission is scheduled to depart from the U.S. onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alongside Barnawi and Al-Qarni, the crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson and pilot John Shoffner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During their 12-day stint, the four astronauts will collaborate with the regular ISS crew to carry out a broad range of science, outreach, and commercial activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While in orbit, the astronauts will have the opportunity to work on numerous initiatives, including the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This global competition, in partnership with the Canadian Space Agency, aims to develop innovative food production methods for deep-space missions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Saudi Arabia&#8217;s Legacy in Space<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saudi Arabia&#8217;s involvement in space exploration dates back to 1985, with participation in the first flight of the Arab space shuttle &#8220;Discovery&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Saudi team included an astronaut and a scientist, led by Prince Sultan bin Salman, who was later honored with the Space Medal by the U.S. Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The current mission adds another chapter to this legacy, positioning the kingdom as a competitive player in specialized space sciences.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>A New Era in Space Exploration<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barnawi&#8217;s historic journey exemplifies the momentum building in space exploration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mission aligns with several notable space activities scheduled this week, including the annual Humans to Mars Summit, SpaceX&#8217;s ambitious Starlink V2 Minis launch, and OneWeb&#8217;s plans to augment its internet satellite constellation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This week, the world will not only witness the first Arab woman venturing into space, but it will also see the realization of broader inclusivity in space exploration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we look towards the stars, it is clear that the future of space travel is diverse, global, and exciting.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":159694,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[411],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-159693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-interest"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159693"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159693"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159693\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}