In April 2021, Al Matrooshi, the first woman astronaut from the Arab world, was selected from thousands of applicants for the UAE Astronaut Programme's second batch.

Mohammad AlMulla and Al Matrooshi became Nasa astronaut candidates after being chosen among 4,000 applicants to train with the space agency. She joined Nasa's astronaut candidate class officially on January 1, 2022, after training at Nasa's Johnson Space Center in September 2021, Forbes said in its report.

After completing her two-year training at Nasa in Houston, Texas, Al Matrooshi will represent Arab women in global aerospace.

During the next two years, Emirati astronauts will train to become masters of five major categories. In particular, trainees are taught how to operate and maintain the International Space Station's (ISS) complex systems, how to train for spacewalks, how to control a T-38 jet safely, and how to speak Russian.

As soon as they have been qualified, the astronauts may be assigned to missions involving research aboard the ISS or undertaking space missions, among other options.

AlMatrooshi was acknowledged "among such prestigious trailblazers from the Arab World, said Salem AlMarri, Director-General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).

He said on social media that, she represents exemplary qualifications, leadership capabilities, humility, and wisdom far beyond her years. She is a role model for men and women alike, enabling the next generation to pursue their dreams without inhibitions.

In addition to being the first Arab woman in space, AlMatrooshi, 28, is a mechanical engineer at United Arab Emirates University. She aspires to develop the space sector in the UAE further and ultimately lands on the Moon onboard an Emirati spacecraft.

There are a number of other women on the list, including Najla Bouden, Tunisia's first female prime minister, Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur, and two of the founders of e-commerce company Mumzworld, Mona Ataya and Leena Khalil.