Homecoming Star Queen

Tags: Stargate, Technology, Muslim
"They wrapped me in a blanket and two people carried me to a beach chair- someone came over and handed me a beautiful bouquet of Roses and told me that it was from the Search and Rescue team. There were cameras everywhere and they were continuously snapping pictures." - Anousheh Ansari, First Muslim Woman in Space

So this is how it feels to get your feet back on solid ground!

"The hatch opened and a breath of fresh air took over the smell of burnt wire. I felt like I was hanging from the ceiling and had a hard time raising my head high enough to see who was at the hatch. The hatch door was also blocking the view-

Finally I was able to stretch enough to see out. I recognized the face of one of the rescue team members who was trying to prepare us for the exit. He was the same person who assisted me in my Black Sea survival training. I could hear words of joy and congratulation in Russian- Pavel was responding to them and laughing- there were people with video cameras and mobile phones snapping pictures. I felt like something that was trapped and the captor was taking picture of his catch before releasing it..."

Welcome home, Anousheh! Mrs. Ansari returned to Earth September 29th aboard Soyuz TMA-8 with members of the Expedition 13 crew Jeff Williams and Pavel Vinogradov, who were relieved after their six-month assignment aboard the ISS.