International

Sara Sabry to Become Egypt’s First Citizen Astronaut in Space

Sara Sabry to Become Egypt’s First Citizen Astronaut in Space

Photo credit: Space for Humanity

Non-profit organization Space for Humanity (S4H), has chosen Egyptian Engineer Sara Sabry, the country’s first analog astronaut, to join onboard New Shepard’s 22nd space flight (NS-22).

The announcement, which was released Friday, 22 July, marks an unprecedented moment in history as Sabry becomes the first Egyptian citizen to be destined for space and only the second sponsored Citizen Astronaut (CA-2) selected by the S4H after Mexican electrical engineer, Katya Echazarreta.

S4H’s Citizen Astronaut is the world’s first and only program which sponsors exceptional, purpose-driven “leaders” from diverse backgrounds and professions for an opportunity to gain a new perspective by going into space.

The New Shepard space flight is managed under Blue Origin, a private aerospace company owned by Amazon founder and American billionaire, Jeff Bezos.

“When we dare to dream big, we achieve things deemed impossible, we break boundaries, write history, and set new challenges for the future. I am incredibly excited that Space For Humanity has offered me this opportunity and I am honored to be representing Egypt in Space for the first time,” said Sabry in the statement.

“My ancestors have always dreamt big and achieved the impossible, and I hope to bring that back. This is just the beginning.”

The 29-year-old is a mechanical and biomedical engineer. Sabry is also the founder and executive director of Deep Space Initiative, a non-profit aiming to expand space research accessibility. On her mission, whose date remains to be announced, she will fly alongside five other crew members including Portuguese entrepreneur Mário Ferreira and British-American mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien.

Ferreria is also the first person from Portugal to travel to space, while O’Brien is set to become the first woman, according to Blue Origin’s website, “to reach extremes on land, sea, and air, completing the Explorers’ Extreme Trifecta, a Guinness World Record.”

⁠Sabry is a graduate of the American University in Cairo (AUC), with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and she has obtained a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy. The Egyptian pioneer is seeking a PhD in aerospace sciences concentrating on space suit design.

The Egyptian Space Agency (EGSA) has since expressed its support and congratulations to Sabry on her unprecedented feat.

⁠Subscribe to the Egyptian Streets’ weekly newsletter! Catch up on the latest news, arts & culture headlines, exclusive features and more stories that matter, delivered straight to your inbox by clicking here.

Coastal Erosion Shocks Egypt’s North Coast, Environment Ministry Investigates
WHO Declares Monkeypox a Global Health Emergency


Subscribe to our newsletter


More in International

Israeli Settlers Attack West Bank Villages, Hundreds Injured

Egyptian Streets28 February 2023

58 Dead, 20 Injured in Migrant Shipwreck off Southern Coast of Italy

Amina Abdel-Halim26 February 2023

At Least 5 Dead, 15 Injured in Israeli Strike on Damascus

Amina Abdel-Halim19 February 2023

Messi and the Bisht: a Double Standard Reserved Uniquely for the Arab World?

Amina Zaineldine22 December 2022

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Skips COP27 in Egypt

Shereif Barakat29 October 2022

90 World Leaders to Attend COP27 in Egypt

Shereif Barakat10 October 2022

How Powerful is the Egyptian Passport?

Shereif Barakat2 October 2022

Egypt Sets Sights on Hosting 2036 Olympics

Shereif Barakat25 September 2022