Wellington: At least six people are The University of Otago says it is extremely proud of former student Rayyanah Barnawi who is officially the first Arab woman to go to space.

The Saudi Arabian biomedical researcher was among a crew that launched in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on 21 May.

The rocket will arrive at the International Space Station to conduct 20 research experiments, including cloud seeding in the microgravity environment.

Barnawi was an international student at Otago and completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences in 2011, majoring in Reproduction, Genetics and Development.

“We wish Rayyanah a successful and safe journey in space,” acting vice-chancellor Helen Nicholson said.

She was accompanied by another Saudi, Ali Alqarni, and two Americans – retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and race car driver and investor John Shoffner – for the 10-day journey

To read more, click on this link to access the full article and details:

 https://eedition.fijisun.com.fj/subscriptionplans

Source:  RNZ

Feedback:  inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj