The first Iranian in space

[Mani]

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-09-18T043256Z_01_L17716676_RTRUKOC_0_US-SPACE-SOYUZ.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C1-topNews-11
BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz spacecraft blasted off on Monday carrying a woman set to notch up three space records: the first female tourist, first female Muslim, and first Iranian in orbit.

Anousheh Ansari, 40, an Iranian-American telecommunications entrepreneur, joined a Russian cosmonaut and U.S. astronaut in the cramped interior of Soyuz TMA-9 for a flight to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Soviet-designed spacecraft lifted off into a clear blue sky at 0409 GMT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

"The flight is normal, the crew feel fine," a flight controller at Mission Control near Moscow said.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060917/capt.39a6070253494a7492f018619b8f2980.russia_space__mosb104.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20060918/i/r2790765452.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20060918/i/r2126294916.jpg

[Mani]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060917/capt.07f1be6e9aca4288ae562b54bae90edc.russia_space__mosb103.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20060918/capt.sge.oiv73.180906042024.photo00.photo.default-407x512.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060918/capt.xmj11509180453.russia_space_xmj115.jpg

[Ferdosi]

I envy her.

I'd fcuking hijack the space station.

[Ali_reza]

Great news.

[iKnan]

Isn't she one of the only few women who have actually went to space?

[valanjak]

The Russians should send Ahmdinejad in the space station and kick him into the orbit while he there . But seriously , I am really proud of her , what a achievement , how many people can I say I traveled to space

[DR.Ari V]

i love this lady. she paid 20 mi $ for this ride!
you know bill gates has lots of money and he helps charities. but this lady used her money and went to space. shes living it!

[!Bob]

Anyone know what happened with the "request" from her to remove the Iran flag from her suite? Apparently she refused and there was some "kerfuffle". I think she had to take it off in the end. Any news on this?

Just found a link in Politics forum by valanjak (I read this article in the paper today, but that doesn't elaborate either):
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article1619249.ece

[valanjak]

Anyone know what happened with the "request" from her to remove the Iran flag from her suite? Apparently she refused and there was some "kerfuffle". I think she had to take it off in the end. Any news on this?

Just found a link in Politics forum by valanjak:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article1619249.ece

It was most likely the Iranian opposition groups who believe that the mullahs are using this to their advantage


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article1619249.ece

[DR.Ari V]

It was most likely the Iranian opposition groups who believe that the mullahs are using this to their advantage


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article1619249.ece
when they showed her on TV she had the american flag on her suit. i nvr knew about the irani flag at all

[Pints]

Isn't she one of the only few women who have actually went to space?

No. There's been quite a few.

[valanjak]

She is the first Muslim women

[Rostam]

She is the first female tourist in space. More power to her; source of joy.

[YankBastard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et_YGfTWCJs&eurl=

[DR.Ari V]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et_YGfTWCJs&eurl=
LOL i was cracking up the whole time!

[Mani]

Watch: Video library of Anoosheh Ansari in space (http://www.anoushehansari.com/videos.php)

Iranian space tourist returns to earth (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2006-09-29T015847Z_01_N28285303_RTRUKOC_0_US-SPACE-TOURIST.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C3-scienceNews-2)
NEAR ARKALYK, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz capsule with Iranian-born space tourist Anousheh Ansari on board bumped down safely in the Kazakh steppe at dawn on Friday.

"They've completed the landing," a mission control official in Moscow said after the small Soyuz TMA-8 capsule, charred black from re-entry into the atmosphere, landed in northern Kazakhstan.

The capsule, returning from the International Space Station, was also carrying Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov and U.S. astronaut Jeff Williams.

The craft slowed its descent with parachutes and fired rockets to make a soft landing on its side in a field about 80 km (50 miles) north of the town of Arkalyk.

A Russian space programme recovery team surrounded the capsule to open the hatch and extract the cosmonauts.

Ansari, a 40-year-old U.S. telecoms entrepreneur who left Iran in 1984, was the first female tourist, first female Muslim and first Iranian to go to space.

[Ferdosi]

Like I said before, if it was me, I'd take over the damn station. Anousheh, mission failure.