Female Pakistani-born polar explorer starts training to become one of the first ‘tourist astronauts’ aboard Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShip2 when it launches in 2020
- Namira Salim was one of the first people to sign up to fly with Virgin Galactic
- She has been fitted for her spacesuit designed by Under Armour for Virgin
- ‘I am not nervous. It is a dream come true’, she said when asked about the flight
- She will be on one of the first SpaceShip2 flights when they start next year
A Pakistani-born polar explorer will be one of the first ‘Founder Astronauts’ to fly with Virgin Galactic when it begins commercial flights in 2020.
Namira Salim was one of the original passengers to sign up with Richard Branson’s commercial space liner when it was announced in 2005.
The ‘Founder Astronauts’ – those people who signed up to be amongst the first passengers – have been given diet and fitness plans to follow, fitted into their spacesuits and undergone training with Virgin Galactic crew.
‘The space suit (pictured here with Ms Salim) just needs a little bit of a tweak. And it’s just amazing, the excitement building up and the whole plan on how it’s going to happen’, the future astronaut told Yahoo Finance
‘Going into space has been a dream of mine since childhood’, Ms Salim told Yahoo Finance show ‘On the Move’.
As part of preparations for a 2020 launch the first cohort of travellers have been fitted into their own custom-built spacesuits designed by Under Armour.
Mr Salim says her suit is incredible and only needed a few tweaks for the fit to be perfect.
‘The excitement building up and the whole plan on how it’s going to happen’ is amazing, she said.
The suits are being tailor-made for each Virgin Galactic astronaut, and will include a clear pouch in the jacket over the heart where travellers can keep a photo of a loved one.
The suit is being belt exclusively for Virgin Galactic astronauts and each one will include a clear pouch in the jacket over the heart where travellers can keep a photo of a loved one, Under Armour said. It is seen here modelled by Richard Branson and others
Being fitted for a suit isn’t the only preparation astronauts are having to prepare for.
The future passengers have been given a diet and fitness plan and have undergone training with the VSS Unity crew so they know what to expect when they fly.
The fitness programme was designed in part by Under Armour who aim to help the astronauts perform to a level which ‘unlocks their true potential’.
Virgin Galactic also discussed how future training can be arranged to best prepare those waiting to fly.
Ms Salim says the training for her VSS Unity flight is nothing compared to what she did in her sub-orbital flight training in 2007. That training included going in a centrifuge.
‘I experienced 6G which is much more than we will experience on the flight. Fighter pilots experience 9G, so it won’t be that bad’
‘These flights are not ground up. They’re very easy on the body. You just have to be reasonably fit. It’s not very hard on the body or requires a lot of fitness’.
Unlike traditional trips to space, the Virgin Galactic flights take off horizontally on top of a ‘mothership’ then fly until they reach 50,000ft when the spacecraft detaches and makes its way to space.
Ms Salim is no stranger to adventure or breaking new ground. Ms Salim was the first Asian to skydive over Mount Everest and the first Pakistani to reach the North Pole.
‘I am not nervous. It is a dream come true’, she said when asked about the flight.
Future astronauts were given a fitness programme by Under Armour, the designers of the Virgin Galactic spacesuits (pictured)
Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity rocket (pictured above) was the company’s first to make it to space
There are a number of companies working to offer tourist flights to space including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Blue Origin from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Boeing.
‘There is not really a race as everyone wants to do this safely but Virgin is ahead of the game and they will make it into orbit next year’, Ms Salim told Yahoo.
Last week Virgin Galactic launched its Astronaut Readiness Program, which it says will help prepare its customers for their flights.
The company currently has one operational SpaceShipTwo craft, the VSS Unity, which has completed two test flights to suborbital space.
Last week Virgin Galactic launched its Astronaut Readiness Program, which it says will help prepare its customers for their flights. Future astronauts had training on flight operations from the crew of SpaceShipTwo
Each spacesuit jacket will feature a message from Stephen Hawking (pictured) and a clear plastic pocket where they can keep a photo of a loved one during the flight.
SpaceShipTwo is designed to carry six paying customers into space and is being manufactured in Mojave, California.
Those wishing to be on board the pioneering commercial space flight must fork out £194,000 ($250,000) each.
‘Virgin Galactic has more than 600 Future Astronauts from 60 countries – all signed up to fly on SpaceShipTwo’, said George Whitesides, CEO, Virgin Galactic.
‘Spaceflight has profound and transformative qualities and we want to provide a platform which will allow our Future Astronauts to share their new perspectives with the world and their local communities, thereby inspiring others.’
WHAT GOES INTO MAKING A COMMERCIAL SPACESUIT?
Under Armour are creating the space suits that will be worn by the private passengers on board Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShip2 when it launches in 2020.
Under Armour say the Spacesuit (pictured) is a deep space blue, with atmospheric light blue elements and pops of gold throughout, inspired by an image of the sun in space
The suits feature a base layer that acts as a second skin to the body and help to enhance blood flow during the high and zero gravity portions of the flight.
The main suit is made of special materials that form the exact shape of the body ‘for a precision fit’.
Under Armour say they have also added special cushioning materials to the key impact zones around the shoulders and neck.
There is also a clear pocket on the inside of the suit jacket above the heart for a photo of a loved one.
There will also be a patch unique to each mission that is removable from the suit to be attached to the Future Astronaut’s flight jacket for everyday wear.
The boots were inspired by footwear worn by racing drivers.
They are lightweight for optimal mobility and form the exact shape of the foot.
Source: Under Armour
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