Today (or tomorrow depending on time zone) marks the 10th anniversary of the spaceflight of Anousheh Ansari.
Who is Anousheh Ansari?
She was born in Iran fifty years ago, lived through the Iranian revolution, and emigrated to the United States in 1984.
Despite very little English on arrival, she earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics and computer engineering from George Mason University in 1988, and then a master’s degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University.
In 1993, she co-founded an IT company with her husband and his brother which was sold seven years later for $550 million.
The Ansari X prize was named after her (and her brother-in-law). That was a prize of $10 million for the first private company to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks. It was won in 2004 by Scaled Composites with the spaceplane SpaceShipOne. (That caused Richard Branson to take an interest, and SpaceShipTwo currently flies under the Virgin Galactic brand.)
On 18th September 2006, Anousheh travelled to space herself on an eight day mission to the International Space Station.
She was the fourth “space tourist” — meaning she paid her own way, though during the mission she performed experiments for the European Space Agency.
She was the first woman to pay for her own trip to space.
She was the first Iranian in space (she holds dual Iranian-American citizenship).
She was the first Muslim woman in space.
Oh, perhaps most importantly, she was the first person to blog from space. (no shit) ;-)
I hope to inspire everyone — especially young people, women, and young girls all over the world, and in Middle Eastern countries that do not provide women with the same opportunities as men — to not give up their dreams and to pursue them.
It may seem impossible to them at times. But I believe they can realize their dreams if they keep it in their hearts, nurture it, and look for opportunities and make those opportunities happen.
Have we all gone backwards seventy years, and I didn’t notice?
Yes.
Today (or tomorrow depending on time zone) marks the 10th anniversary of the spaceflight of Anousheh Ansari.
Who is Anousheh Ansari?
She was born in Iran fifty years ago, lived through the Iranian revolution, and emigrated to the United States in 1984.
Despite very little English on arrival, she earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics and computer engineering from George Mason University in 1988, and then a master’s degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University.
In 1993, she co-founded an IT company with her husband and his brother which was sold seven years later for $550 million.
The Ansari X prize was named after her (and her brother-in-law). That was a prize of $10 million for the first private company to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks. It was won in 2004 by Scaled Composites with the spaceplane SpaceShipOne. (That caused Richard Branson to take an interest, and SpaceShipTwo currently flies under the Virgin Galactic brand.)
On 18th September 2006, Anousheh travelled to space herself on an eight day mission to the International Space Station.
She was the fourth “space tourist” — meaning she paid her own way, though during the mission she performed experiments for the European Space Agency.
She was the first woman to pay for her own trip to space.
She was the first Iranian in space (she holds dual Iranian-American citizenship).
She was the first Muslim woman in space.
Oh, perhaps most importantly, she was the first person to blog from space. (no shit) ;-)
(source)
Today she’s the chairperson and CEO of Prodea Systems, another company she co-founded.
(More info)