Anousheh: Let's go Again!

Amid praise from those who count, including high-ranking and qualified members of RSA and the Russian military, Anousheh Ansari has earned a spot of favour in the queue for launch. and seems willing to "go again".

From a CBC story Ansari has said, "They have definitely offered me the opportunity, and I'm certainly interested". Quite a debut, with a potential encore.

One must wonder how much more qualified astronauts who train for years if not decades for the chance to "obrit" and serve, must feel about this different valuation that is held in reserve for the "mega-wealthy". The CBC news article.

Victor K.

43'

well, good for her

as far as disappointed cosmonauts/astronauts,
sure they may feel slighted...but being good team members & soldiers w/rank,

i would not think that any of this 'PR' of a 'paying' 40yo female civilian going to space,
would affect those professional cosmonauts to cause disruptions to the space program....I would think even they would be happy for the publicity & the monies their gov't got for a 'paid passenger seat'

the RSA, is probably disappointed that they never had their version of a Shuttle craft commissioned in service, ...think of getting 3-4 paying passengers on each resupply mission to the ISS that the Russians undertake @ $20m per seat !!
wow !,
a missed capitalistic opportunity

I agree that it is "good for her", her family, her Dallas business, Texas social-standing and monetarily "good" for thr RSA. I find it significant that the Russian quoted in article said, "They would have paid her". No question that of the space-participants/tourists so far that she has been most assuredly technically qualified (she is a real accredited engineer and a holder of two telecom patents) and she is a Texan.

Actually if one thinks about it, one might see such a "story" as furthering the cause of space exploration, some might not. I look forward to her potential second flight, I'm currently of the opinion that would be a "good" thing, with a few caveats of little consequence.

I like the idea of a "pimped-out" stretch-Buran by Zil auto-limo... 4X$22M USD? Maybe 6X if one gets rid of the payload bay. You'd need special suits and seats for the NBA guys and an "extra-baggage" surcharge for big folks, and a special tax for Madonna to prevent her from singing... ISS could never handle the traffic... Hmmm. The Japanese (Kawasaki and others) seem interested in the space hotel concept...

The Chinese apparently have a unique way to prophylactically prevent the major of emesis effects of SAS that had Ms. Ansari "not feeling too well" in the 48 hours between Baikonur and ISS.

It is remarkably simple and really a no-brainer (as in many surgeries and medical diagnostics that have a risk of unintentional aspiration of stomach contents) they don't feed their Shenzhou occupants 12 or so hours before flight (nothing solid per oral)... makes the "flight assignment" screwed up in the case of a "scrub" though... but a less stinky and uncomfortable first day or so on orbit for a successful launch. It was in a Reuters news bit from around the time of the first Shenzhou manned launch.

Will Anousheh be the first "two-time" space-participant? I'm thinkin' for sure.

Victor K.

43'

Goin' to space on a controlled explosion without a "last" meal? Not for me.

[edit on 19-10-2006 by V Kaminski]