Down to Earth Blog

First Female Space Tourist Describes Looking Down at Earth: Dallas entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari blasted off Sept. 18 for the international space station. In her blog, she describes what the ride into orbit was like and how she felt when she looked down at Earth for the first time:

" ... I was finally able to take a look outside and saw the Earth for the first time… Tears started rolling down my face. I could not catch my breath… Even thinking about it now still brings tears to my eyes. Here it was this beautiful planet turning graciously about itself, under the warm rays of the Sun… so peaceful…so full of life… no signs of war, no signs of borders, no signs of trouble, just pure beauty…

How I wished everyone could experience this feeling in their heart, specially those who are at the head of the governments in the world. may be this experience would give them a new perspective and help bring peace to the world."

Many astronauts express similar feelings about seeing Earth from orbit. Ansari raises an interesting point about world leaders needing to go into space and view the world from a new perspective. Is that what it would take for some of them to respect the environment, the planet and its people more? Would it lead to peace? The view from above must be so different and inspiring. What do you think -- should world leaders visit space?

Technorati Tags: Anousheh Ansari, Space Tourism, Earth, International Space Station

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• #1 Comment from ereading7 
  9/24/06 9:07 PM | Permalink

  "What do you think -- should world leaders visit space?"
  YES!