October 2006

Engineering Alumna Becomes First Female Space Tourist

On Sept. 18, Anousheh Ansari, M.S. ’92, became the first woman space tourist when she accompanied 14 crew members of the U.S.-Russian expedition onboard the Soyuz TMA-9 mission to the International Space Station. Ansari, who was born in Iran, made her fortune in telecommunications and has since funded her passion for space exploration and other world-changing technologies. The 39-year-old engineer and businesswoman has dreamed of space exploration since childhood and spent an estimated $20 million for her 10-day trip to the International Space Station.

On Sept. 22, thanks to GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station team, Ansari spoke directly to area middle school, high school, and GW students while orbiting the earth.

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