imran*

My Dad just told me Pakistan’s first astronaut, Namira Salim, would be flying with NASA in 2009. I quipped ‘only if she’s not carrying any liquids, gels, shampoos or lip gloss‘.

However upon closer examination, the story is sadly not of a Pakistani scientist or engineer reaching the pinnacle of her career, but simply the daughter of a rich industrialist who’s purchased a seat on Virgin Galactic‘s first commercial flights in 2008!

Referring to passengers booked on Virgin Galactic as astronauts is the same as calling every passenger on Virgin Atlantic a pilot </rolls eyes>