Anousheh Ansari
Anousheh Ansari | |
|---|---|
 Anousheh Ansari | |
| Born | Anousheh Raissyan 12 September 1966 Mashhad, Iran |
| Nationality | Iranian American |
| Citizenship | Dual Iranian-American |
| Education | Electrical engineering and computer science |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Businessperson |
| Title | CEO of X Prize Foundation[1] |
| Spouse |
Hamid Ansari (m. 1991) |
| Relatives | Amir Ansari (Brother-in-law) |
| Status | Retired |
| Occupation | Electrical Engineer |
| Space career | |
| Spaceflight participant | |
Time in space | 10d 21h 5m |
| Missions | Soyuz TMA-9/8 |
| Website | anoushehansari |
Anousheh Ansari (Persian: انوشه انصاری; née Raissyan;[2] born September 12, 1966) is an Iranian-American engineer. She is the co-founder and chairwoman of Prodea Systems.
On September 18, 2006, a few days after her 40th birthday, she became the first Iranian ever in space.[3] Ansari was the fourth overall self-funded space tourist, and the first self-funded woman to fly to the International Space Station.[4][3]
Early life
Born Anousheh Raissyan in Mashhad, Iran. She and her parents moved to Tehran shortly afterward.[5] When Ansari was six years old, her parents divorced.[6] She witnessed the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and immigrated to the United States in 1984 as a teenager.[7] She went to a high school in Virginia.[8]
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and computer science at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She also earned her master's degree at George Washington University in Washington D.C.[9][10][11]
Personal life
Ansari married Hamid Ansari in 1991. They live in Plano, Texas. She is also the aunt of the American actors Yara Shahidi and Sayeed Shahidi.
References
- ↑ "X Prize-Our People, Anousheh Ansari, CEO". Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ↑ "U.S.: Iranian-American To Be First Female Civilian In Space". RFE/RL. 2006-09-15. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
- 1 2 "Iranian Influential Women: Anousheh Ansari (1966-Present)". Iran Wire. October 4, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ↑ "My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer". macmillan.com. Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ↑ "Alumni news". George Mason University. 2001. Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2006-09-22.
- ↑ Young, Nicola (2019-07-29). "Anousheh Ansari: From Space Tourist to Entrepreneur – Hayat Life". Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ "Female space tourist blasts off". CNN. 2006-09-18. Archived from the original on 20 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-18.
- ↑ "Dare to Dream Bigger – Defying Limits with The First Iranian Woman in Space | Anousheh Ansari". Finding Mastery. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ Buncombe, Andrew (2006-09-18). "Pride in space as Iran cheers first Muslim's journey to the stars".
- ↑ Yaghmour, Emily. "Failure Was Never an Option for Mason Alumna". George Mason University alumni newsletter. Archived from the original on 2006-05-25. Retrieved 2006-08-27.
- ↑ Sunseri, Gina (September 18, 2006). "First Female Space Tourist Takes Off". abcnews.go.com. ABC News.