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Are There Any Muslims in Space?

Published in Space Exploration 1 min read

While there haven't been any official announcements of Muslim astronauts performing Islamic rituals in space, there have been several Muslim astronauts who have traveled into space.

Here are some examples:

  • Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor from Malaysia became the first Muslim astronaut to perform the Hajj pilgrimage while in space in 2007. He was part of the Soyuz TMA-11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Anousheh Ansari from Iran became the first female space tourist and the first Muslim woman in space. She traveled to the ISS in 2006.
  • Sultan Al Neyadi from the United Arab Emirates became the first Arab astronaut to perform a long-duration space mission. He spent six months on the ISS in 2023.

These are just a few examples of Muslim astronauts who have traveled into space. The growing presence of Muslims in space is a testament to the inclusivity and diversity of the space exploration field.

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