Virgin Galactic Makes History Again: Pakistani Individual Becomes First to Travel to Space

In another groundbreaking achievement, Virgin Galactic successfully sent a Pakistani individual, Namira Salim, to space for the very first time as part of their Galactic 04 mission. This historic event took place at New Mexico's Spaceport America and highlights Virgin Galactic's commitment to making space more accessible to people from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The Galactic 04 mission follows closely on the heels of Virgin Galactic's Galactic 02 mission, where they launched the first former Olympian and the first mother-daughter duo into space.

During that mission, 18-year-old Anastatia Mayers also became the youngest-ever spaceflyer. These recent accomplishments solidify Virgin Galactic's position as a leader in the space tourism industry. The Galactic 04 mission commenced at 11:28 a.m. EDT, with Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity spaceplane taking off beneath the wings of its carrier aircraft, VMS Eve. After reaching an altitude of 44,341 feet, Unity released from Eve and engaged its onboard rocket motor, reaching a top speed of Mach 2.95, nearly three times the speed of sound.

Salim and her fellow space tourist customers, including British advertising executive Trevor Beattie and American astronomy educator Ron Rosano, experienced weightlessness and witnessed the Earth against the darkness of space at a maximum altitude of 54.3 miles. Unity's cabin also included Beth Moses, Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor, and was piloted by Kelly Latimer, C.J. Sturckow, Nicola Pecile, and Jameel Janjua. The VMS Eve carrier aircraft successfully landed back at Spaceport America alongside Unity.

As a Founder Astronaut of Virgin Galactic, Namira Salim has been a part of the company's vision since 2006, when she purchased her ticket for $200,000. Since then, the price has risen to $450,000. Salim's participation in Galactic 04 adds to her impressive adventurer credentials, making her the first Pakistani to travel to both the North and South Poles. Virgin Galactic's main competitor in the suborbital space tourism sector is Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos. However, Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle has been grounded since a failure during an uncrewed research flight in September 2022.

Virgin Galactic's continued success and regular launch schedule further solidify their dominance in the industry. Virgin Galactic's Galactic 04 mission marks another significant milestone in their quest to make space exploration and adventure accessible to individuals from various backgrounds, truly ushering in a new era of spaceflight. The company's rapid-fire launch pace, along with its innovative and inclusive approach, continues to inspire and captivate the world's attention.