This is the kind of thing that NASA should be doing. If you want to succeed in space, you have to demonstrate why the effort is worth it.
Anousheh Ansari, has been officially named to the Soyuz TMA-9 primary crew. The first female spaceflight participant will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 18, 2006 en route to the International Space Station (ISS) along with the Expedition 14 crew members: NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin.
A living example of the American dream, Anousheh Ansari immigrated to the United States as a teenager who did not speak English. She immersed herself in education, earning a bachelor’s degree in electronics and computer engineering from George Mason University, followed by a master’s degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University. She is currently working toward a master’s degree in astronomy from Swinburne University.
During her spaceflight, Anousheh wants to serve as a true space ambassador. She wants to be able to share the spaceflight experience with as many people as possible, and use her experience to help educate. She intends to document her mission in as much detail as possible, so as to completely communicate the spaceflight experience for future spaceflight participants. She also wants to use the mission to further educate children on the importance of space travel and life in space. (See Kids to Space for a good book on spaceflight for children.)
Wow, cute and smart and gives a shit about the future. With all these talented and driven people clamoring to go into space, why are we having such a hard time of it?
She paid her way to go. Space travel only for the ultra rich is the messages the Russians send to me. I acknowledge it helps fund their program but somehow the American system of astronaut selection seems more fair to me. Every American astronaut gives talks on their experiences as well serving as ambassadors.
It’s not just the money, it’s the philosophy. I applaud American astronauts, it’s NASA that’s broken. If they can sell a seat on a three-seat craft, why can’t we on a seven-seater? Why not space tourism?
I recommend reading Mike Mullane’s ‘Riding Rockets’ if you want a good explanation for why NASA doesn’t carry tourists into space. I could try and summarize it, but very poorly – these people get very short training, and are usually very unpredictable once in space, with the very real possibility of endangering the crew. I’m no astronaut, Mr. Mullane’s been there and explains it a whole lot better, with a few very enlightening, and real (!!!) examples.
The russians just lower their standards to get some money – US $20 million per passenger. That’s all. This lady is no hero to me or to anyone who closely follows space exploration. Just a filthy rich woman who got her huge fortune God knows by what means… She doesn’t care about space, she never did, she just found herself in the right place and at the right time to go for a ride…
However, I agree that the general public will be more interested in her than in Brent W. Jett, Jr., Christopher J. Ferguson, Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, the crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis, who have made an *EXCELLENT* job in the current STS-115 mission.
What makes REAL astronauts different is that their motivation in life is NOT to get rich, which our society seems to wants us to believe is the only worthy thing you can do with your life 😛 REAL astronauts look higher, and do something of REAL importance to every one of us and to all mankind! Tourists just make a circus out of it…
What a couple of lame excuses for men — who can’t deal with a woman who’s won national awards for entrepeneurial excellence — who still forges ahead with her engineering education — and has the real balls to spend her money on enjoying the dream that so many of us share about space travel.
Sometimes the populist ideology that people who make a lot of money at what they’ve done with their life’s work are somehow less human than the rest of us — is a load of crap from petty-minded, jealous underachievers.
What is she supposed to do? Donate her disposable income to some organization of delusional God-fearing numptys — or give it to the RNC/DNC so she can be an ambassador to East Overshoe after a presidential election?
The USA did try to send the first teacher, Christa McAuliffe, into space but the shuttle didn’t make it. Shuttle Challenger blew up 73 seconds after take off on the morning of January 28, 1986.
I’ve got nothing against women in space, in fact, quite the opposite! They’re the astronauts I admire the most, really, and I’ve wondered quite a few times that if America does go back to the Moon, a woman should be the first one to go out, if only for the symbolism of it. I could suggest a few books to read regarding these great women, but a quick search by ‘women astronauts’ on Amazon will give you a bunch to read.
What I’m against is non-professional astronauts. And as bac (5) mentioned, space travel is still a dangerous endeavour. Mr. Mullane also points that out in his book, and his opinion is that the real dangers of it can only be appreciated by someone who has undergone the complete astronaut training.
As for being jealous of rich people, really, I’m not. I pity most of them, and try to stay away. A guy I once knew once described the richest man he knew (a regular s-o-b, and really filthy rich) as being so poor, so poor, that he *only* had craploads of money…
Who was the first to climb Everest? Reach the North Pole? THe South? Rich people have been among the greatest explorers and adventurers. to dismiss them for being rich only demonstrates your own insecurity.
Did you even bother to find out how she became rich?” Do you think that she doesn’t have the academic background to be an astronaut? She has a master’s in engineering and is the Chairman and Co-founder of Prodea Systems, a company that develops digital networks. That isn’t the resume of a dilettante.
What I’m against is non-professional astronauts.
You don’t need to know how your car was built to drive it. She doesn’t go there to do astronauts job, she goes there to enjoy the view and from her resume it looks like she’s smart enough to do that…
In 5 years, I see Valentina Tereshkova, Christa McAuliffe, Judy Resnick as contributing more to space exploration in the minds of young women than Anousheh.
I applaud the Russian Duma for turning down Madonna’s request for a trip to space and a tour of the ISS.
There is a significant difference between this woman and Madonna, and if you can’t see it, you have a perception problem.
I see the difference indeed. I regret that in 5 years Madonna will have more influence on peoples minds than Anousheh.
She is pretty HOT though!
So this means that the Atlantis wil go BOOOOOOOOOOOM! in mid flight and shock the middle class and below civilian population, crushing their dreams of ever going to space at least once in their lifetime for at least 10 more years.
I see nothing wrong with this. If I had 20 million to blow for a “vacation” on the ISS, I’d go in a heartbeat!
I’m sure with her business successes, she’s smart enough to stay out of the way of the scientists and possibly help in some experiments.
Her going to space is saying to young girls and women around the globe that they can work hard to follow a dream!
There is a significant difference between this woman and Madonna, and if you can’t see it, you have a perception problem.
Agreed: One is kinda cute, the other has yogaed and Kaballaed herself into looking like a space alien.
I found out today she helped fund the Ansari X Prize for first private space flight.
She’s not just a bimbo looking for thrills!