Namira Salim: Pakistani Resident of the UAE Makes Historic Journey to Space
In a historic milestone, long-time UAE resident and Pakistani national Namira Salim achieved a momentous feat as the first Pakistani woman to venture into space as part of Virgin Galactic 04’s mission on Friday.
Virgin Galactic announced the successful return of the mission, carrying Salim and two other space tourists, following a one-hour flight: “Welcome back to Earth, #Galactic04! Our pilots, crew and spaceship have landed safely at Spaceport America, New Mexico.”
Salim, also known as Virgin Galactic Astronaut 019, embarked on the journey aboard Virgin Galactic’s reusable space plane, VSS Unity. The spacecraft was launched into space by the carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, taking off at 7:40 pm (UAE time) from Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Joining Salim on this extraordinary voyage were Ron Rosano (Virgin Galactic Astronaut 017), an astronomy educator hailing from Muir Beach, California, and British national Trevor Beattie (Virgin Galactic Astronaut 018), an advertising executive and founding partner of Beattie McGuinness.
Under the command of mission leader Kelly Latimer and pilot C.J. Sturckow, the trio, accompanied by Virgin Galactic’s chief astronaut instructor Beth Moses, experienced up to four times the force of Earth’s gravity, a phenomenon known as 4G. They savored nearly four minutes of weightlessness aboard the spaceplane VSS Unity.
For Namira Salim, this journey to space has been a lifelong aspiration, a dream she nurtured for nearly two decades. In 2006, she made history as the first UAE resident to purchase a suborbital flight ticket from Sir Richard Branson’s space venture, paying $200,000—a fraction of the current reported price of $450,000 for a seat on a Virgin Galactic flight.
Namira Salim’s achievements extend far beyond this singular accomplishment. In 2006, she was formally recognized as Pakistan’s first astronaut by the government of Pakistan. The following year, she was appointed as an honorary ambassador of tourism for Pakistan. Additionally, she emerged as a dedicated peace activist and was awarded the ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’ (Medal of Excellence) by the President of Pakistan in 2011.
Notably, Namira takes immense pride in representing three countries—the UAE, Pakistan, and Monaco (where she is also a long-time resident)—throughout her remarkable journey into space.
