Virgin Galactic is about to send the first Pakistani citizen to space on a historic mission. Namira Salim, a renowned explorer, will be on board the “Galactic 04” mission, which will depart from Spaceport America in New Mexico on 5 October 2023.
Namira Salim announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) that she will be joining Trevor Beattie and Ron Rosano on the Galactic 04 mission with Virgin Galactic. She said that she hopes her journey will inspire young women, girls, and the global youth to reach for the stars.
In addition to Namira, the flight will also carry Trevor, a renowned British advertising executive, and Ron, a respected American astronomy educator.
Along with the three passengers, Virgin Galactic’s Chief Astronaut Instructor, Beth Moses, will also be on the flight. Kelly Latimer and C.J. Sturckow will pilot the VSS Unity spacecraft, and Nicola Pecile and Jameel Janjua will pilot the VMS Eve, the carrier aircraft that will take Unity into space.
This will be Virgin Galactic’s fourth commercial spaceflight in four months, following successful flights in June, August, and September.
It is worth noting that Namira is a seasoned adventurer, having previously visited both the North and South Poles. She was also one of the first 100 people to book a seat on a Virgin Galactic flight in 2006, for $200,000 —a price that has since increased to $450,000.
