Mashable: Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni arrived at the International Space Station on Monday evening

Saudi Arabia has created history with the arrival of the first Arab woman astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi at the International Space Station.

Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Arab woman astronaut reached ISS along with fellow Saudi astronaut Ali Alqarni on Monday evening.

The two Saudi astronauts were welcomed by none other than Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi aka the Sultan of Space.

Sultan AlNeyadi welcomed his fellow Arab astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Alqarni to the outer space with dates and water.

The Axiom Mission 2 crew members also received the astronaut pin called ‘Universal Astronaut Insignia’ which is given to all the space travellers.

The evening of May 22, 2023, will never be forgotten as all eyes were on Rayyanah Barnawi, the Kingdom’s first female astronaut as she arrived at the orbiting laboratory.

Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi, a scientist and Ali Al Qarni, a trained fighter pilot became the first two nationals of the Kingdom to reach the orbital outpost.

The two Saudi astronauts have embarked on the private Ax-2 mission along with former NASA astronaut, Peggy Whitson who will be making her fourth flight to the International Space Station, and Tennessee-based businessman John Shoffner, who is serving as pilot.

The chartered flight of Space X with the astronauts on board arrived at the ISS in around sixteen hours after taking off from Florida, USA.

The crew of four astronauts will spend over a week at the orbiting lab and carry out 20 experiments before their return to Earth.

The Ax-2 mission is the second fully private mission to the International Space Station after one in April 2022.