Namira Salim, a Dubai-based Pakistani astronaut, is set to fulfill her lifelong dream of going to space today.
Alongside two other space tourists, she will embark on a sub-orbital journey aboard a Virgin Galactic flight, further popularizing space tourism. Salim, a long-time resident of the UAE and Monaco, is making history as the first female UAE resident and Pakistan’s inaugural female space tourist.
The mission, led by commander Kelly Latimer and pilot C.J. Sturckow, will launch from Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport America in New Mexico at 6 pm (UAE time). During the flight, passengers will experience up to four times the Earth’s gravity and four minutes of weightlessness.
Namira Salim’s aspiration for space travel was inspired by her late father, a former Pakistani Army official, who instilled in her a love for the stars. She dedicated this historic flight to him.
In 2006, Salim became the first UAE resident to purchase a suborbital flight ticket from Richard Branson’s space venture, paying $200,000. Over the years, she has achieved remarkable feats, including conquering the North and South Poles and becoming the first Asian and Pakistani to skydive over Mount Everest.
Her accomplishments have earned her recognition as Pakistan’s first astronaut, an honorary tourism ambassador, and the ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’ (Medal of Excellence) in 2011.
