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| Lift-off for woman space tourist | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The first woman space tourist has blasted off on a Russian Soyuz rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. | The first woman space tourist has blasted off on a Russian Soyuz rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. |
| The mission is carrying Iranian-born businesswoman, Anousheh Ansari, along with a fresh crew for the International Space Station (ISS). | The mission is carrying Iranian-born businesswoman, Anousheh Ansari, along with a fresh crew for the International Space Station (ISS). |
| Ms Ansari, a 40-year-old US citizen, is thought to have paid at least $20m (£10.6m) for the mission. | Ms Ansari, a 40-year-old US citizen, is thought to have paid at least $20m (£10.6m) for the mission. |
| Lift-off took place at 1010 local time (0410 GMT) and the Soyuz has entered orbit successfully, officials said. | |
| The mission is expected to reach the ISS on Wednesday. | The mission is expected to reach the ISS on Wednesday. |
| The Atlantis shuttle, which undocked from the ISS on Sunday, is expected to land back on Earth on Wednesday. | The Atlantis shuttle, which undocked from the ISS on Sunday, is expected to land back on Earth on Wednesday. |
| 'Fragile Earth' | 'Fragile Earth' |
| Ms Ansari is accompanying Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin and US astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who will join German astronaut Thomas Reiter on the station. | Ms Ansari is accompanying Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin and US astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who will join German astronaut Thomas Reiter on the station. |
| She is the fourth space tourist. | She is the fourth space tourist. |
| Ahead of lift-off Ms Ansari said she was an ambassador for attracting private investment into space programmes. | Ahead of lift-off Ms Ansari said she was an ambassador for attracting private investment into space programmes. |
| Ms Ansari, who made her fortune in telecoms, also said the trip would put the planet into perspective. | Ms Ansari, who made her fortune in telecoms, also said the trip would put the planet into perspective. |
| "You'll see how small and how fragile the Earth is compared to the rest of the universe. It will give us a better sense of responsibility." | "You'll see how small and how fragile the Earth is compared to the rest of the universe. It will give us a better sense of responsibility." |
| On the ISS, Ms Ansari will carry out experiments on back pain for the European Space Agency. | On the ISS, Ms Ansari will carry out experiments on back pain for the European Space Agency. |
| Ms Ansari replaced Japanese businessman Daisuke Enomoto, who dropped out due to unspecified medical reasons. | Ms Ansari replaced Japanese businessman Daisuke Enomoto, who dropped out due to unspecified medical reasons. |
| Cosmonaut Tyurin said Ms Ansari had been "very professional" in her training. | Cosmonaut Tyurin said Ms Ansari had been "very professional" in her training. |
| Ms Ansari will return on 28 September with two other space station occupants. | Ms Ansari will return on 28 September with two other space station occupants. |
| The returning Atlantis crew has seen the addition of two massive solar panel wings for the station's power generation. | The returning Atlantis crew has seen the addition of two massive solar panel wings for the station's power generation. |