Aerospace Engineer Mishaal Ashemimry elected as one of Vice Presidents of International Astronautical Federation

Aerospace Engineer Mishaal Ashemimry was elected as one of the Vice Presidents of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), making her the first female Saudi national in such a leadership position, the Saudi Space Commission (SSC) announced Sunday.

As a representative of Saudi Arabia at the federation, Ashemimry was elected for having a vision which focuses on the development of the global space sector, for contributing to the development of the IAF’s strategic directions, for being a key player in consolidating the Kingdom’s position in the industry and enhancing global cooperation, the SCC said in a tweet.

“I am very proud and grateful to have been elected as vice president for IAF. I look forward to working with other vice presidents in order to strengthen efforts in the space [field],” Ashemimry said on Twitter.

The IAF has 12 Vice Presidents and consists of elected and appointed staff who are responsible for offering recommendations, supervising the arrangements of the federation’s meetings and preparing the agenda for plenary sessions of the General Assembly, among other tasks, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The federation includes over 400 members from around the world, including members from leading spaces agencies and institutions, SPA added.