Omar Samra to represent Egypt in outer space

Omar Samra will be the first Egyptian to fly to space after he won the AXE Apollo Space Academy competition, beating out 112 contestants from around the world.

Two other Egyptians qualified for the final round, for which they were flown to the AXE Global Space Camp in Orlando, Florida, to compete with other finalists in a series of space-simulation challenges.

On his Facebook page, Samra wrote, “Tonight was one of those epic moments in a man’s life. When you get the privilege to go to a place where few have.

“After many months of hard work and perseverance I have won the opportunity to fly 100km above sea level and into outer space,” the adventurer said.

In 2007, Samra became the first Egyptian and youngest Arab to climb Mount Everest.

In addition to his record-breaking exploits, Samra is a public speaker and entrepreneur. He founded Wild Guanabana in 2009, a travel company specializing in the design of creative and adventure travel experiences around the globe.

“We must all do this to grow and discover what we’re truly capable of, then pass the baton to those who are capable of stretching those limits even further,” Samra wrote.

“Most importantly, we do this to inspire a future brighter and better generation.”

Twenty-two winners of the AXE Apollo Space Academy will join Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men to walk on the moon, on an adventure in space.