Anousheh Ansari - Wikipedia

Thank you, my friend Maj Marty Hogan for making us aware that (September 12 is the anniversary of the birth of Iranian-American engineer and co-founder and chairwoman of Prodea System Anousheh Ansari born Anousheh Raissyan who became the first Iranian in space. Ansari was the fourth overall self-funded space tourist, and the first self-funded woman to fly to the International Space Station.
Happy 53rd birthday Anousheh Ansari.

Anousheh Ansari - The First Iranian Woman in Space
Anousheh Ansari, entrepreneur, engineer, and space flight enthusiast, discusses her trip to the International Space Station, and the journey that brought her there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSTShgq6QsM


1. Anousheh Ansari
2. 2006 Anousheh and her husband, Hamid.
3. Space tourist Anousheh Ansari, center, onboard the International Space Station in 2006
4. Anousheh Ansari in her own clothes.jpg



Background from noushehansari.com/about/
"Anousheh Ansari
"First Female Private Space Explorer & First Space Ambassador”
On September 18, 2006, Anousheh Ansari captured headlines around the world as the first female private space explorer. Anousheh earned a place in history as the fourth private explorer to visit space and the first astronaut of Iranian descent.
Anousheh is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder and chairman of Prodea Systems, a company that will unleash the power of the Internet to all consumers and dramatically alter and simplify consumer’s digital living experience. Prior to founding Prodea Systems, Anousheh served as co-founder, CEO and chairman of Telecom Technologies, Inc. The company successfully merged with Sonus Networks, Inc., in 2000.
To help drive commercialization of the space industry, Anousheh and her family provided title sponsorship for the Ansari X Prize, a $10 million cash award for the first non-governmental organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks.
Anousheh immigrated to the United States as a teenager who did not speak English. She earned a bachelor’s6 degree in electronics and computer engineering from George Mason University, followed by a master’s degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University. She has an honorary doctorate from the International Space University. She is currently working toward a master’s degree in astronomy from Swinburne University.
Anousheh is a member of the X Prize Foundation’s Vision Circle, as well as its Board of Trustees. She is a life member in the Association of Space Explorers and on the advisory board of the Teacher’s in Space project. She has received multiple honors, including the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, the Working Woman’s National Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, George Mason University’s Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, George Washington University’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Southwest Region. While under her leadership, Telecom Technologies earned recognition as one of Inc. magazine’s 500 fastest-growing companies and Deloitte & Touche’s Fast 500 technology companies.
She currently works to enable social entrepreneurs to bring about radical change globally, with organizations such as X Prize, ASHOKA and the PARSA Community Foundation."

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Iranians American but is called out here for being the first Iranian in space????
Her accomplishments are truly impressive. I feel they are cheapened somehow by never referring to her as an American. I suppose I'm a bit sensitive to the whole hyphenated citizen crap.
Even so, Great post

Thank you Sir