The milestone was achieved during Virgin Galactic’s fourth commercial spaceflight, Galactic 04, which commenced from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Virgin Galactic made history on Friday by sending the first Pakistani woman, Namira Salim, to space. Joining her on this monumental journey were British advertising executive Trevor Beattie and American astronomy educator Ron Rosano.
The milestone was achieved during Virgin Galactic’s fourth commercial spaceflight, Galactic 04, which commenced from Spaceport America in New Mexico. At 1540 GMT (8:10 pm Pakistan time), Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity space plane was released from its carrier craft, known as Virgin Mothership (VMS) Eve, soaring to an altitude of about 45,000 feet (13,700 meters).
Following the release, Unity’s onboard rocket motor ignited, propelling it into suborbital space. Virgin reported that the craft reached an apogee of 54.3 miles from Earth’s surface and achieved a top speed of Mach 2.95 (nearly three times the speed of sound) during the exhilarating journey.
The voyage concluded at 12:43 pm EDT (1643 GMT) as Unity safely touched down at Spaceport America. The flight was piloted by Commander Kelly Latimer and Pilot CJ Sturckow, accompanied by Chief Astronaut Instructor Beth Moses. Commander Nicola Pecile and pilot Jameel Janjua managed the cockpits of VMS Eve, with Jameel Janjua being a Pakistani-Canadian.
Namira Salim, designated as Virgin Galactic’s Astronaut 019, boasts a diverse background in space engagement and identifies herself as a world traveler, entrepreneur, and artist. Prior to liftoff, she shared her excitement on Twitter, mentioning that Virgin Galactic’s founder, Richard Branson, had wished her a successful flight. She expressed her pride in donning the same astronaut suit that Branson wore in July 2021.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, also extended heartfelt congratulations to Namira Salim, acknowledging the significant moment with the words, “Because of you, our nation’s flag fluttered in space today.”
Namira Salim’s voyage with Virgin Galactic marks a pivotal moment not only for Pakistan but also for the global space exploration community, as individuals from diverse backgrounds continue to break barriers and venture into the final frontier.