Experimental Blog #128

Comments on "Astro Turf" - The Private Life of Rocket Science by M. G. Lord and "My Dream of Stars" - From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer by Anousheh Ansari with Homer Hickam

Among many other people and subjects, in the first book the author M. G.{that is, Mary Grace} Lord writes extensively about "Project Paperclip, a U.S. Army program that permitted certain valuable Nazi scientists{maybe even hundreds, according to the New York Times} to work in this country, despite their compromising war records".

Wernher von Braun hardly needs very much introduction. He became an American TV celebrity, and he seemed to be on friendly terms with Walt Disney. M. G. Lord also writes about Arthur Rudolph. "In 1984{Werhner von Braun was no longer living}, Arthur Rudolph, the head of the Saturn V program, renounced his American citizenship rather than face a denaturalization hearing", and was "eventually charged with war crimes." She also mentions a Walter Dornberger, who was "instrumental in the developement of U.S. ICBMs".


Anousheh Ansari, the author of the second book, with her husband and brother-in-law{and a few other people} became a highly successful businesswoman in America. Apparently, they all became very rich; and this allowed her to fulfill her lifelong love of the stars.

Anousheh's description of the extremely thorough, lengthy, and arduous examination and training in Russia for her spaceflight will keep many people from being too envious. However, in September of 2006 she went into space on Expedition 14 on a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, and then transferred to the International Space Station 2 days later.
 
Although it seems that she eventually adjusted, Anousheh's description of how sick she became for about the first 2 days, in spite of all her training, would also discourage many people. However, her vivid descriptions of what she saw and experienced on her spaceflight are available not only in this book, but also in her blogs, accompanied by videos, that she made while in flight.

 Although she says that her "ticket" cost about 20 million dollars, she seemed to become an important, that is helpful, passenger, or even crew member, during her several days aboard the International Space Station. The re-entry and rough landing that Anousheh describes at the end of her fairly short visit of about one week should also discourage many people from being too envious.