Anousheh Ansari Frequently Asked Questions 1. Aside from the Thrill Of
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Anousheh Ansari Frequently Asked Questions 1. Aside from the thrill of space travel itself, what did Anousheh hope to accomplish with her trip to the space station? Anousheh wants to show people everywhere – especially children and women in the Middle East – that they can accomplish their dreams, no matter how big. In addition, she is encouraging children to pursue science and math education that is key to future accomplishments in space. 2. When did Anousheh first dream of going into space? As a young girl growing up in Tehran, Iran, Anousheh fell in love with the stars. She watched reruns of shows such as Lost in Space and Star Trek that were dubbed in Farsi. Anousheh even begged her parents to let her sleep on the balcony, so she could spend hours gazing into space. This enthusiasm for space and space travel has only grown stronger through the years. 3. How was Anousheh able to travel into space? Anousheh contracted with Space Adventures to travel to the International Space Station as part of the crew of the Soyuz TMA-9. She was initially asked to be the backup for Japanese private space explorer Daisuke Enomoto. When he was medically disqualified a few weeks before the mission, Anousheh was elevated to the primary crew of the Soyuz TMA-9. 4. What is Space Adventures? Founded in 1998, Space Adventures, Ltd. is a space tourism, entertainment and event- production company dedicated to helping the public experience space today. 5. What was the best part of Anousheh’s trip into space? Anousheh has said that gazing upon the Earth was a profound experience. From space, she said, Earth does not have any visible borders. It appears peaceful and free of conflict. Anousheh also enjoyed the feeling of weightlessness, which gave a sensation of absolute freedom. 6. Does Anousheh want to return to space? Definitely. Anousheh is deeply interested in the future of commercial space travel. She believes that exploration of space is critical to the health and survival of the human race. Anousheh hopes that she will one day have the opportunity to take another journey into space. 7. What else is Anousheh doing to encourage the commercialization of space? Anousheh and her family members made a major impact on the industry by providing title sponsorship for the Ansari X Prize. This $10 million cash award was earmarked for the first non-governmental organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks. This feat was accomplished in 2004 by legendary (more) Page 2/Anousheh Ansari FAQs aerospace designer Burt Rutan. Anousheh is a member of the X Prize Foundation’s Vision Circle, as well as its Board of Trustees. Anousheh is highly interested in making future investments for the commercialization as space, as well as traveling into space again in the future. 8. Is Anousheh an American citizen? How does she feel about her Iranian heritage? Anousheh is proud to be an American citizen. In addition, Anousheh embraces her Iranian heritage, since this background made her what she is today. 9. What does Anousheh think about the current situation between the United States and Iran? Anousheh hopes for peace between all nations. She would welcome the opportunity to one day become a United Nations ambassador, with the goal of helping people everywhere to understand that the human race shares one Earth. We must respect it and each other. 10. Does Anousheh plan to run for public office? Anousheh has many interests, including her businesses, charitable groups, and organizations that are pushing the development of new technologies. She believes that by working with social and business entrepreneurs, she can have the biggest positive impact on the world. Anousheh is not interested in running for public office at this time. 11. Will Anousheh come and speak to my group? Speaking requests should be sent to Terri Griffin at [email protected]. 12. What is Prodea Systems? Prodea Systems is at the forefront of digital home and multimedia management technologies. The company is creating a solution that will dramatically enhance and simplify the in-home digital experience. Since 2004, the solution has been a developing project of Prodea, an investment firm focused on bringing innovative solutions to market. Prodea Systems launched in 2006 as a standalone corporation. 13. If space exploration is so important to Anousheh, why is she part of a company that is focused on the home? Anousheh believes that Prodea Systems will bring about the same kind of revolutionary change that her trip to space has achieved. By reaching for the stars, Anousheh has proven that anything is possible. Similarly, the Ansaris hope to fundamentally alter the way people view technology’s role in their homes. 14. What does Prodea Systems make? Prodea Systems has developed an innovative solution that bridges the home multimedia networking gap, providing consumers with a simplified and intuitive user experience. (more) Page 3/Anousheh Ansari FAQs The digital home solution is both cost-effective and complete, enabling consumers to: - Personalize and simplify their home multimedia network - Securely access their content from anywhere, at any time - Talk, chat and share media - Protect and secure valuable personal digital assets and home components 15. How is this solution different than other products available in the market? While other solutions address specific applications for connected entertainment and the digital home, Prodea Systems combines hardware, software and managed services to provide a seamless and highly satisfying digital home experience. Prodea Systems is unique in that it delivers a: - Comprehensive solution for managing the home multimedia network, accessing premium and personal digital media content, and enhancing communications, messaging and automation of the home - Powerful framework designed to enable services now and in the future, without hardware upgrades - Platform leveraging power at the edge of the network, allowing for rapid and massive scalability - Business-class level of performance in the home 16. How can I contact Prodea Systems? Members of the media can contact Lesley Hensell at 817-797-0910 or [email protected]. For business inquiries, contact [email protected]. ### Contact : Lesley Hensell Promote Success PR 817-797-0910 or [email protected] .