Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni (center) are the prime astronauts for the Ax-2 mission with Mariam Fardous (left) and Ali AlGhamdi (right) as backups. (Credit: Saudi Press Agency)

Rayyanah Barnawi will make history as the first Saudi woman to travel to space when she joins countryman Ali AlQarni as part of Axiom Space’s second private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year, the Saudi Press Agency announced on Sunday.