Namira Salim, the first Pakistani to venture into space, has safely returned from her historic journey aboard Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity. She proudly celebrated her accomplishment as the “FIRST Pakistani Astronaut” and the “First Female Virgin Galactic Founder Astronaut.” Prior to her space voyage, she expressed her pride in representing her nation by raising the Pakistani flag in space. Salim was part of the Galactic 04 mission, traveling alongside three other space enthusiasts.
Virgin Galactic briefly delayed the mission to make necessary vehicle preparations, allowing three paying customers to experience suborbital space travel. During their journey, they witnessed several minutes of weightlessness and got to see the curvature of the Earth against the backdrop of space.
The carrier plane for VSS Unity, VMS Eve, was piloted by Jameel Janjua, a Canadian of Pakistani origin with extensive flying experience. Namira Salim was among the first 100 individuals to purchase a ticket with Virgin Galactic back in 2006, and the cost of her ticket has since risen to $450,000.
In addition to her remarkable space journey, Salim is the founder of the nonprofit organization Space Trust. She has also previously visited both the North and South Poles, establishing herself as a trailblazer in the realm of space exploration and global travel.
