Anousheh Ansari has only one philosophy: to live so that his dreams come true. Born in Iran, the entrepreneur made history in 2006 by becoming the first citizen of her country, but also the first woman to finance her trip to space, and to spend ten days in the International Space Station. A successful businesswoman in the United States, she wants to mark society with her experiences and contribute to global sustainable development.
From our correspondent in New York,
Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, September 29, 2006. After ten days, Soyuz-TMA8 lands with two professional astronauts on board, and the “ participant in a space adventure », Anousheh Ansari. A first for eternity, and Anousheh has just put his name in history. But the path between his native Iran and the International Space Station was marked by trials that forged his character.
Originally from Mashhad, 900 kilometers from the Iranian capital, the Ansari family moved to Tehran when she was only 3 years old. Her childhood was quiet, but at 13, her life changed, and the young girl opened her eyes to a harsh reality that turned her life upside down. ” The 1979 revolution was a huge shock, everything changed radically, my vision of my country, the balance of society, I was devastatedshe recalls. Seeing men and women beaten in public, violence everywhere, it was a huge comeback for me, who was already starting to look to the stars. » The teenager, who already spends a good part of her time observing the sky from her bedroom, knows that leaving is inevitable. The family flew to the United States in 1984. A second shock. ” I hardly knew a word of English, a few song lyrics, that was it! she smiles. ” Everything was not easy, but I quickly understood that it was the best thing for us. And I wanted to do everything to live my new life to the fullest. »
She invests in her studies, learns English in record time and wins university scholarships. She decides to join the college of George Mason, in Virginia, then validates a Master in George Washington, in computer engineering and telecommunications. The first stones are laid to get closer to space. ” I’ve always had space in mind. My studies, my personal projects are linked to this goal, and every day, every week, every year are guided by this. “, she specifies. She got her first job at MCI in 1991, one of the leading telecommunications companies in the United States, and there met her future husband, Hamid. Two years later, observing that the national market in the sector is deregulating, she motivates her husband and brother, Amir, to launch their business. Telecom Communication was born. The company grew, and in 2000, the Ansari clan sold it for… half a billion dollars! ” The business was doing very well, but I always had space in mind, as if obsessed with it. I continued my march forward with this idea of travel. And my dream was starting to become a possibility “, she recalls.
A dream come true
Anousheh continues his successful career and, in 2001, a world first comes to open a door: Dennis Tito, American billionaire, becomes the very first space tourist and spends seven days in the International Space Station. The businesswoman takes the plunge and spends $20 million to become one of the next on the list. ” I went to Russia for six months to follow the training program. I don’t like the term “space tourist”, it was not a vacation! It’s an experience that brings you closer to that experienced by astronauts “, she insists. Anousheh learns Russian, follows a very intense preparation, but also courses on the projects in progress in the International Space Station, because by obligation, its presence on board has a scientific research objective, on the themes of engineering and health. Before her big departure, she realizes what is happening to her and thinks of the road travelled: “ I, a daughter of Iran, am also doing this to give hope to all Iranian and Middle Eastern women. I wanted to show that everything is possible, that our dreams also matter “, she underlines.
D-Day arrives on September 18, 2006, in Baikonur, with the takeoff of Soyuz TMA-9. After 48 hours, the capsule docks with the International Space Station, and Anousheh Ansari realizes his dream. ” I was speechless, it was something unique. Almost twenty years later, I don’t have all the words to describe this adventure “, she confides. For ten days, she worked on health topics such as the management of back problems on board the station, but also on bacteriological management in a small space like the ISS. ” I learned, saw a lot of things. We really become aware of the immensity of space, but also and above all of the size of the Earth. We see the oceans, the continents, everything seems so different, without borders, without limitations. I kept pictures in my head for the rest of my life “, she specifies. This trip also had an even stronger impact in his conviction to help sustainable development projects. ” The purpose of space travel is, 90% of the time, to help improve life on earth. We mainly go into space to better understand our good old planet Earth “, she underlines. With this in mind, since 2014 she has chaired the XPrize foundation, which includes patrons such as James Cameron and Larry Paige, and which develops scientific research projects aimed at improving life on earth. Mapping marine movements from space, but also sending satellites to deepen research on water are among the many initiatives funded by the organization.
At 56, Anousheh Ansari still has her head in the stars, but her feet stay on the ground. ” I am a woman determined to help my neighbor, but I do not forget where I come from “, she specifies. ” What has been happening in my country for far too long, and even more now with the events and the strong repression of power, I think about it all the time. I haven’t been back to Iran since I left 40 years ago. I miss my land, I hope to return there one day and continue to inspire Iranian women “, she concludes.