Two Book Reviews: “My Dream of Stars”, by Anousheh Ansari
My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer
Keith Cowing: I have been reading books about space since, well, since I learned how to read. Indeed, this is how I learned to really read a book – since the books I had to read in school were lame. Nearly half a century later, I have read an unknown number of books that chronicle the life stories of those who have come to be involved with the exploration of space. Every book is different yet every book is the same since the paths that people took were similar and overlapping. Some came from Nazi Germany, others from small towns in America or Russia.
But until now I had not read a story of someone who aspired to touch the stars from the midst of revolution-racked Iran.
My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer
Keith Cowing: I have been reading books about space since, well, since I learned how to read. Indeed, this is how I learned to really read a book – since the books I had to read in school were lame. Nearly half a century later, I have read an unknown number of books that chronicle the life stories of those who have come to be involved with the exploration of space. Every book is different yet every book is the same since the paths that people took were similar and overlapping. Some came from Nazi Germany, others from small towns in America or Russia.
But until now I had not read a story of someone who aspired to touch the stars from the midst of revolution-racked Iran.
Such is the story of Anousheh Raissyan – better known by her married name, Ansari. In describing “My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer“ I just want to tell you all that is in it – but that is Anousheh’s task – done with the deft guidance of Homer Hickam. Homer first gained notoriety as the author of “Rocket Boys” – which also chronicled an improbable journey from a poor coal mining town in West Virginia to a long career at NASA. A better guide Anousheh could not have found.
The story Anousheh tells begins in an Iran that was still ruled by the Shah. All too soon the fires of revolution swept up the entire nation – not just the young men, but old people and little girls. Yet through out this tumultuous and very dangerous time, Anousheh managed to find solace albeit fleeting by looking up at the stars at night and visiting them in her mind.
As I turned the pages of this book I was reminded of a time in my life when these same events in Iran affected me. I was in graduate school in the early 1980s and had an office mate who I will simply refer to as “Reza”. Reza came from a wealthy family in Teheran and was studying to be a doctor when the revolution exploded. He was caught outside the country and unable to return. With no access to families assistance he as stranded in a foreign country unable to get home.
I often hired Reza to work with me as a house painter. He was happy for the work and worked his butt off. I saw something in Reza that comes through clearly in this book through Anousheh’s words: an unflinching determination to not let life’s current troubles get in the way realizing a dream. The more dire the circumstances, it seems the more pronounced her will to push through and surmount adversity.
Eventually, Anousheh and parts of her family made their way to America. Unlike many newcomers she did not isolate herself from the cacaphony of opportunity that is America. Rather, she dived right in. Meeting her husband, she and others soon accomplished the quintessential American dream when their start-up made them millionaires.
Throughout it all, that dream of stars would not go away. Augmented with what Elon Musk often refers to as “non-trvial resources” Anousheh went from dreaming about stars to thinking about actually visiting them. Eventually she acted on her dream and found herself training as a backup for another commercial space traveller in Russia. An unexpected medical disqualification with the prime passenger and suddenly she was mere weeks away for a trip into space.
These days when you make one of these trips, you have to do something with the nortoriety. Everyone who does this finds a different way to do it. In Anousheh’s case, she was suc an improbable space traveller that there was intrinsic interest that really did not need to be generated – just channeled.
During her flight she sent updates from space that were posted in a blog. The claim from her PR flaks being made was that she was the “first blogger in space”. Well, I got into nit picking and jumped on that since she was emailing from space – not blogging. But over the days as her mission proceeded I saw some startling things in the comments that appeared on her site. Many were in Farsi but many were in passable English. The sentiments came through loud and clear.
For this instant in time she was pulling her fellow Iranians out of their own daily troubles and bringing them up into space with her. As improbable as her own life story was up to this point it now worked like a magnet on others like her back on Earth. Eventually, I felt compelled to write a retraction of sorts – you can read it here on her blog.
Professional astronauts are chosen for their ability to fly the rockets and make all the fancy gear work. They are not chosen for their ability to experience or express themsleves. There is nothing in their daily work schedule wherein they are supposed to be awed. Anousheh had all of her time in orbit to do this.
In the case of Anousheh and others who bought their own ticket into space, there was already something ticking in their heads that had made them wealthy but also yearning to do something as unusual such as ride into space. Up until now all of the passengers had all been middle-aged male businessmen.
As such, Anousheh had a unique perspective. Reading some of her descriptions of life in space, you get the impression that she may be the first person to notice and then write about many fundamental aspects of space travel. One passage in particular grabbed me by both shoulders when I first read it – and yes, brought a tear to my eye since I could easily imagine myself in an identical moment. In this case it was shortly after she had reached orbit:
“Throwing off my belts I was able to take a look through the tiny porthole of the capsule and saw the Earth from space for the first time. My laughter stopped as tears welled up in my eyes. I saw a small crystal float away from me. It was beautiful, a pretty little diamond. I wondered where it came from, if perhaps some worker had lost the setting from her ring. Then I realized it was one of my tears. It seemed to be attracted to the Earth. It touched the glass in the porthole and became for just a moment the tiniest of rainbows. I could not catch my breath. My beautiful planet, under the warm rays of the sun, turned gracefully beneath me I was entranced.”
I go there – to that moment – when I read these words.
“My Dream of Stars” is an astonishing and almost improbable but very human journey from war torn Iran to outer space. In reading this book you get the impression that if Anousheh can do something like this then anyone can.
The world is changing. Inevitably, life in space will change too. Some day soon, it will no longer be the sole province of practitioners of the “Right Stuff” from a small group of rich nations. Anousheh was the one of the very first people to see this change with her own eyes – and to redefine who gets to to go – and why. I have no doubt that she will continue to be a force for change back on Earth.
This is her story.
Marc Boucher: In agreeing to review My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer by Anousheh Ansari with Homer Hickam, I was not sure if Anousheh’s story would captivate me or not. I had met Anousheh at Yuri’s Night at NASA Ames on April 12, 2007, seven months after her journey to the International Space Station. At that time I knew little about her other than she was a self-made millionaire who had paid a large sum of money to fly to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz rocket and spent a week there. She seemed nice, but a little shy and reserved. However, if I knew then what I know now, well we would have a had great conversation. You see, that’s because in a small way I now know her story, and what a story it is.
Anousheh’s story begins in her native land, Iran. It’s a story of family upheaval and finally a new life in America, success in the land of opportunity and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream shortly after her 40th birthday.
The book is divided into three stages of her life; An Iranian Girl, A Woman of the World and A Woman of the Stars. The book is written in collaboration with Homer Hickam who has quite story of his own. From the moment I started reading about her life in Iran I was hooked. Each page just seemed to flow into next and found it hard to put it down, it was completely captivating.
Anousheh grew up in an Iran that is very different than what we see portrayed today. She watched Star Trek and dreamed of the stars. But soon her parents were divorced, then the Shah was overthrown, there was the war with Iraq, and Saddam Hussein and she had to grow up quickly. At the age of 17 her father announced they were going to America. It would not be a direct route as they had to go through Germany. At this point she began her second stage, A Woman of the World.
As A Woman of the World Anousheh’s education began in earnest when she arrived in America. Hardly understanding or speaking English but being a hard working, smart student she soon graduated high school and went to George Mason University. She majored in electrical engineering, excelled and and met her future husband, Hamid Ansari, at her new job which she landed before graduating. In meeting Hamid her life changed forever. Hamid’s brother deserves some credit as he knew Anousheh and Hamid were meant for each and he played matchmaker. Did I mention this story is a love story as well?
In meeting the Ansari brother’s Anousheh’s career began in earnest. Her job also paid for university courses so while she worked she pursued a master’s degree. Together with the Ansari brothers, Anousheh was convinced to try the entrepreneurial route so that they could make it on their own after her company left the DC area for Texas. As with many new entrepreneurs there were trying times and soon the found themselves moving to Texas and becoming consultants to the company they had left.
But trouble was brewing soon thereafter the trio found themselves starting a new company. Thus began telecom technologies, inc (tti) which would become the little company that could and then the mid-size company that could and eventually a public company. But before going public there was interest by other companies to buy them outright. After long and sometimes painful negotiations, it was a done deal. By the Fall of 2001 Anousheh was ready for another adventure.
The new adventure would start with some much deserved time off in Hawaii but soon the stars would beckon. Upon returning to Texas she became aware of the new X Prize Foundation. A meeting was arranged with Peter Diamondis and soon the Ansari’s were hooked. The catch, they wanted two of the first tickets when the sub-orbital market became a reality. Thus the third stage on Anousheh’s life was about to begin, A Woman of the Stars.
Several years later Burt Rutan and his team at Scaled Composites won the X Prize and at at a 1st anniversary dinner she met Eric Anderson who would introduce her to Space Adventures, the company that arranged for Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth to fly to the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz.
By this time Anousheh and the Ansari brothers had started a new company. But Eric tempted Anousheh with the possibility of going into space. Reluctant to leave the brothers to go to Star City in Russia for training Anousheh debated the idea. But soon Hamid acknowledged that she should jump at the opportunity. She said yes. It didn’t mean she would fly, but at least she would go through the testing and see if she could qualify. It also meant six months away from her husband and family. But her dream was withing her grasp.
The story from this point is about her journey to Moscow and the six months of training. It gives the reader and excellent insight into what the Russian make their cosmonauts go through. Anousheh sailed through training. But she still didn’t have flight. That is until Dice-K, the Japanese entrepreneur was medically disqualified less than three weeks from flight. Anousheh’s opportunity was at hand and she seized it.
Her experiences leading up to launch and aboard the Soyuz spacecraft and the International Space Station are well documented. It was a time she’ll never forget. Just as meeting Hamid changed her life forever so did flying in space. Millions around the world shared her experiences and she connected with people from her native land who also wanted to make their dreams come true.
Because of Anousheh I’ve no doubt some will follow their path to their dreams and make them come through. Her story is courageous one and throughout the book the one recurring theme is the strong sense of family she has. With her family’s help she dreamt of the stars and touched them ever so briefly.
