A Russian-built rocket successfully launched to orbit Monday in Kazakhstan, carrying the world's first female space tourist on a flight to the international space station. Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American telecommunications entrepreneur, was accompanied by a U.S.-Russian crew on the Soyuz TMA-9 capsule. The Iranian-born American Anousheh is the first woman to pay her way into space ($20 million dollars), and the first person of Iranian descent to get there. She will be the fourth space tourist.
Among her stated goals are "to inspire youth, and especially girls, around the world to pursue their dreams" and "to promote peace and understanding amongst nations as the world's first Space Ambassador."
Anousheh said, "Me being the first female has inspired a lot of women and girls in Iran, especially being Iranian, and I¹ve received numerous e-mails, messages of different sorts saying how proud of me they are."
Ansari's mission patch bears the logo and insignia: "Imagine - Be the Change - Inspire."
Anousheh Ansari left Iran at the age of 16, partly leaving just after the Islamic Revolution because her family wanted her to pursue her passion for the sciences to the fullest extent possible. She is fulfilling her own childhood dream -- born on a balcony in Tehran when she was a little girl gazing at the stars, to see the earth from out there.
Attesting to the imagination and dreams she is kindling, Ansari's blog documents an outpouring of global kudos in many languages, including English and Farsi.
Of note is a tribute tucked in with the rest from US novelist Vanna Bonta, "You take the heart and hope of all humanity with you, among them, mine! The human heart knows no nations but is a citizen of the stars that have witnessed our collective tears and laughter of eons." Bonta calls Ansari "a shining star to dreams, intelligence, reason, capability, wonder, and Love." she also gives a wink to Ansari's goal of inspiring "especially girls" with "And of course it took a girl to lead civilization."
Grammy award winners Ali Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi of electronic house fusion Deep Dish dreamed up a musical theme worthy of the historic and rocking occasion.
And, yes, it looks like you can wear lip gloss in Space.
Anousheh Ansari's blog
Follow Anousheh Ansari mission news live on NASA TV
Anoushe we all the iranian r so proud of and wish u the best i wish i were u
I think she got paid to do so by the Americans to to Iran that America is everywhere even Iranian people support Iran.
Not quite sure what you're saying Hiba? But know that Ansari is a multi-millionnaire and is doing the paying. It was controversial in fact that Americnas first paid the Russians to go up. NASA didn't want to allow that but broke the cutural ice. I don't think what she did is about any country. read what she says about it herself. That's very cool.
What colour lip gloss? Anyway good luck to her.
u know all u arabs r just jealous ppl with closed mind what about shirin ebadi that won peace nobel price and so many other iranian women that r showing nice face of muslim wemen in the world look at ur wemen what they do just like ur ugly singers showing their body or wearing 10ibls make up try to show good face of real islam ok
u know all u arabs r just jealous ppl with closed mind what about shirin ebadi that won peace nobel price or so many other iranian women that r showing nice face of muslim women in the world look at ur women what they do just like ur ugly singers showing their body or wearing 10ibls make up try to show good face of real islam ok