LAHORE:First Pakistani female astronaut, Namira Salim, has landed in the United States for her space journey from the Virgin Galactic commercial space liner, it emerged Sunday. She is also the first female astronaut of South Asia and the Commonwealth of Nations.

Ms Salim arrived in Dallas, Texas from Karachi and now she will travel to space on October 5 and the mission will depart to space from New Mexico airport.

On this occasion, she said, “I am very grateful that my country has supported me a lot. I will take the flag of Pakistan into space with great pride.” Dubai-based lady is first Pakistani astronaut who hoisted the Pakistani flag at the North Pole in 2007 and South Pole in 2008.

At the end of June this year, the Virgin Galactic succeeded in taking the first commercial flight to space but this flight carried experts from Italy instead of ordinary tourists.

In August and September, the company launched the first space flight for tourists into space. This time Ms Salim will be part of the mission and she will have her seat in the cabin of the company’s VSS Unity spacecraft. She is also among 100 people who purchased tickets of this American company for the space tourism. She had bought the ticket for this trip in 2006 and now she is getting a chance to visit space.

In 2006, Government of Pakistan had declared Ms Salim the first Pakistani astronaut. She was awarded the medial of distinction in 2011.