LAHORE MIRROR — Namira Salim, Pakistan’s pioneering female astronaut, is preparing for an unprecedented journey into space.
The Dubai-based expatriate is set to embark on her space expedition on October 5th, where she will proudly raise the national flag of Pakistan into the cosmos.
Virgin Galactic Holdings has officially announced the launch window for the Galactic 04 flight, commencing on October 5, 2023. Namira Salim has already secured the position of Astronaut No. 6 through Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic program.
On November 29, 2022, the Founder Astronaut of Virgin Galactic personally designated her seat, marking a historic moment as the first Pakistani to venture into space with the assistance of Astronaut 019.
The Galactic 04 mission comprises three private astronauts hailing from diverse backgrounds and cultures, all united by their shared passion for space, exploration, and adventure.
Namira Salim is celebrated as the first space tourist of South Asian origin and the first private astronaut to launch into space from Dubai and Monaco.
Back in 2006, Richard Branson introduced Namira as one of the earliest founders of Virgin Galactic. She completed her initial sub-orbital spaceflight training in the world’s most advanced high-performance centrifuge, STS-400, at the Nastar Centre under Virgin Galactic’s guidance in 2007.
Namira Salim is not only an astronaut but also the founder and Executive Chairperson of Space Trust, a non-profit initiative launched in 2015. Space Trust collaborates with world leaders, the United Nations, and global agencies to leverage space as a sustainable tool for promoting peace on Earth.
In 2006, Namira was officially recognized as the First Pakistani Astronaut by the government of Pakistan. In 2007, she was appointed as the Honorary Ambassador of Tourism for Pakistan by the Ministry of Tourism. Namira achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first Pakistani to reach both the North Pole in April 2007 and the South Pole in January 2008.
Her list of achievements doesn’t end there; Namira Salim is also the first Asian and first Pakistani to skydive over Mount Everest during the historic First Everest Skydives in 2008. She is a dedicated peace activist and was honored with the ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’ (Medal of Excellence) in 2011. The President of Pakistan bestowed upon Namira one of the country’s highest civil decorations, the ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’.
