It was a birthday gift that most children could only dream of a trip to outer space.<\/p>\n
Zainab Azims parents bought her a seat on a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight when she turned 11, and now she is on the way to becoming the first hijab-wearing space tourist.<\/p>\n
Now 19, the Pakistani-Canadian student is of legal age and eligible to fly on a spacecraft using her $250,000 ticket.<\/p>\n
Ms Azim visited Dubai on February 11 to speak on a panel at the International Day for Women and Girls in Science at Expo 2020 Dubai.<\/p>\n
Before that, she spoke to The National about her expected journey to space and the need to create more opportunities for women in Stem science, tech, engineering and maths fields.<\/p>\n
The ticket was a gift from my parents because I always had an interest in space, Ms Azim said, who is co-founder of the non-profit Global Initiative and Vision for Education organisation.<\/p>\n
More than 600 Virgin Galactic ticket holders around the world are also waiting for a turn on the spaceplane, which flies above 80 kilometres but does not pass the Karman line the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and the beginning of space.<\/p>\n
The first passenger flight, which carried Virgin owner Richard Branson himself, was completed last summer.<\/p>\n
But, shortly after, authorities grounded the spaceplane for deviating from its flight path. Virgin Galactic announced that operations would resume at the end of this year.<\/p>\n
So it could be a few years until Ms Azim gets her ride to space, but she remains excited.<\/p>\n
I am excited, but I know my mum is already scared and we dont even have a date for it yet, Ms Azim said, who is currently a university student in Toronto, pursuing a double major in neuroscience and public policy and a minor in psychology and astrophysics.<\/p>\n
Im her only daughter and I have two brothers younger than me, so I do understand her fear. My dad is also excited, but not more excited than me.<\/p>\n
Ms Azim would be the first hijab-wearing space tourist, but not the first female Muslim to go to space.<\/p>\n
In 2006, Iranian-American businesswoman Anousheh Ansari went to the International Space Station on a self-funded mission for which she paid about $20 million.<\/p>\n
Also, Emirati engineer Nora Al Matrooshi is the first Arab female to be selected as an astronaut. She is in line to become the first hijab-wearing astronaut on the space station if she gets a chance to go there before the floating laboratory is retired in 2031.<\/p>\n
The UAE's new astronauts Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla at the Address Hotel, Dubai Mall in Dubai. All pictures by Chris Whiteoak <\/p>\n
Apart from feeling enthusiastic about the suborbital flight experience, Ms Azim said she also feels uncomfortable about spending such a hefty amount on the ticket.<\/p>\n
She hopes that space tourism companies will create programmes that give easier access to those who could not such sums.<\/p>\n
I am excited about it, but I want to go to space is not enough for me to spend $250,000 on a ticket, she said.<\/p>\n
There needs to be a bigger reason and a bigger goal. It has to create an impact for other people. I don't feel comfortable doing that for myself.<\/p>\n
Over the past few years, Ms Azim has participated in many conferences and workshops around the world as a speaker and mentor to encourage young people to pursue their passions in stem.<\/p>\n
Last year, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs selected her as a mentor for the Space4Women Network, which runs initiatives to promote gender equality in space fields.<\/p>\n
Discrimination against women was rife at Nasa in the 1960s when the space exploration began.<\/p>\n
While that gender gap has somewhat narrowed, the space sector continues to be male dominated in some parts of the world.<\/p>\n
More than 600 people have flown to space so far, but only 10 per cent of them were women.<\/p>\n
British businessman Sir Richard Branson during the launch of Virgin Atlantic Airways on April 6, 1984. <\/p>\n
Updated: February 14th 2022, 3:00 AM<\/p>\n
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Link:<\/p>\n
Student given $250,000 Virgin Galactic ticket set to be first hijab-wearing space tourist - The National<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It was a birthday gift that most children could only dream of a trip to outer space. Zainab Azims parents bought her a seat on a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight when she turned 11, and now she is on the way to becoming the first hijab-wearing space tourist. Now 19, the Pakistani-Canadian student is of legal age and eligible to fly on a spacecraft using her $250,000 ticket Continue reading