Namira Salim

Namira Salim
نمیرا سلیم
Namira Salim presents President Arif Alvi, President of Pakistan the National Flag she flew to space
Born	Namira Salim Karachi, Pakistan
Alma mater	Columbia University[1] Hofstra University[2]
Occupation(s)	Founder and Executive Chairperson of Space Trust, artist
Known for	First Pakistani Astronaut, Virgin Galactic Founder Astronaut, First Pakistani at the North and South Poles, first Asian to skydive (tandem) Mount Everest, during First Everest Skydive 2008.
Awards	Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence), 2011 Power 100 Trailblazer Award, 2013 Femina Middle East Women Award, 2016
Status	Active
Space career
Virgin Galactic commercial astronaut
Time in space	~15 min
Missions	Galactic 04
Website	namirasalim.com

Namira Salim (Urdu: نمیرا سلیم) is a Pakistani polar adventurer, astronaut and artist based in Monaco and Dubai.^[3][4][5][6] On the recommendation of the Pakistani government, she was in 2011 appointed as an honorary consul of Pakistan to Monaco, following her efforts to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries.^[3] She is the first Pakistani to have reached both the North Pole and the South Pole. Salim is the only Pakistani among the first 100 aspiring space tourists to purchase a ticket for Virgin Galactic's future commercial space liner.^[7] She became the first Pakistani astronaut, the first astronaut from Monaco, and the first female astronaut from the UAE to travel to space, traveling aboard Virgin Galactic on 6th October, 2023.^[8][9][10]

On 23 March 2011, Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan conferred on Salim the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) for achievement in sport, including her trips to the poles and the Everest skydiving event.^[11] She was awarded the Power 100 Trailblazer Award by Pakistan Power 100 in London in September 2013 for her efforts to promote international peace and harmony, and was placed on their "Women Power 100" list.^[12]