Namira Salim, First Pakistani Astronaut says her space mission merits official recognition

Namira Salim said going into space with her own resources is a much larger accomplishment than winning an Olympic gold medal or Oscar for a documentary.

In a chit-chat with 24NewsHD TV channel’s senior journalist Nadeem Anjum on Friday, Namira Salim said Olympic gold medal or Oscar winners were conferred with Hilal-i-Imtiaz and were invited by the high echelons of the government but no special ceremony was arranged to highlight her challenging, self-funded space flight for which she waited 18 years.

“My previous civil award nomination before my space flight for services rendered to Pakistan’s Space sector and Suparco was sadly blocked by the concerned individual at the secretariat of science and technology,” she said.

Namira Salim said that she invested her own resources in flying the National flag high in space. She said her non-profit, Space Trust, has been awarded a free launch to space for a student-built satellite by the United Nations (UN) after recognizing her work in the area of STEM education and as a Space Diplomat who advocates Space for Peace and Trust on Earth.

“I contributed to the Pakistani space sector by sending senior scientists from Europe’s top space systems manufacturers to Pakistan, introduced Suparco to ROSCOSMOS, Russian Federal Space Agency.” She added. Though there has been no appreciation for this dedication and service, I am proud to have made such contributions to my nation as a private citizen.” she said.

Space sector needs more promotion in the country at the dawn of the New Space Age where space opens to all sectors due to commercialisation—and my space flight which became a reality due to the commercialisation of space will open the final frontier to all those who dream of going to space.

She said that for her space mission, she had travelled to the United States for the last 18 years (2006 to 2023) to attend all milestone events in the process.

She said only the names of four persons/space missions were mentioned in the Global Book of Explorers in the space industry. She is one of them besides two astronauts belonging to Russia, Americans who were part of the Apollo moon mission and the first woman of colour from the USA.

Namira Salim said that President Asif Ali Zardari conferred a Tamgha e Imtiaz on her for her polar Expeditions and for her First Everest Skydive under the category of sports in 2011.

Namira Salim merits official recognition and the top civil decoration for becoming the First Pakistani Astronaut and for her tireless services to Pakistan and for her efforts in glorifying the name of Pakistan globally.