World's first female space tourist blasts into orbit (AFP)

[Up2Late]

(Come on, try to tell me that if you had an extra $20 million Dollars lying around that you would be tempted to do the same thing.)

World's first female space tourist blasts into orbit

18/09/2006 16h26


Anousheh Ansari smiles before boarding the spaceship at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan
©AFP - Maxim Marmur

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AFP) - The world's first female space tourist has launched her multi-million dollar adventure, blasting off with two professional astronauts from the Baikonur cosmodrome bound for the International Space Station (ISS).

The Russian-made Soyuz rocket left the Russian base in Kazakhstan Monday at 0408 GMT carrying a Soyuz TMA-9 capsule and its three passengers: Iranian-born US citizen and millionaire tourist Anousheh Ansari, NASA's Michael Lopez-Alegria and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin.

The capsule successfully separated minutes later and entered orbit, with docking at the ISS expected Wednesday.

"The flight is on course," ground control announced as the Soyuz, powered by 270 tonnes of low-temperature oxygen and kerosene fuel, left Earth.

Meanwhile, space officials at NASA and in Russia announced an emergency ventilation shutdown aboard the ISS after an alarm signalled a possible chemical leak. Astronauts on the station temporarily donned surgical gloves and masks as a precaution.

(more at link) <http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060918162110.agpvfbcx.html>

[bigworld]

1. That's one fine looking astronaut

[sugapablo]

2. I heard she was forbidden to wear her Iranian flag patch

"both NASA and Russian officials not only forbid her to wear the Iranian patch, but also argued they want her to cover up the Iranian colors on her personal patch that displays the American colors as well."

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa060914_mo_womanspace.d4fdda8.html