Comments on: Your Friday morning Ansari update

By: Charles Lurio

Charles Lurio — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 01:23:17 +0000

I checked your BBC link, then a site which gives world flags, including pre- and post revolutionary Iran’s. (http://www.theodora.com/flags/new/iran_flags.html).

The flag in the BBC photo is the post-revolutionary one, minus the central symbol. The color bands in the pre-and post revolution flags are the same, and in the same order top to bottom. There is a slight difference in the rectangle’s proportions, just judging by eye.

The other difference between the two, which Ansari’s shoulder patch retains, is that there appears to be highly stylized, repetitive arabic lettering running within the top and bottom color bands bordering the central white band. If it is indeed script and not mere decoration, it’s a repeated short word, not like the Saudi flag with the basic Muslim statement of faith.

All in all the choice of the post-Shah flag without the inner symbol seems not only something _I_ could live with, but as in (Alan Boyle’s most recent post on) her comments about the flight seems to reflect a very canny sense of diplomacy.

By: Jeff Foust

Jeff Foust — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 00:26:34 +0000

Charles: a BBC article has a photo of Ansari with an Iranian flag patch on her right shoulder. Interestingly, the flag patch doesn't appear to have either the Shah-era lion and sword, or the post-revolutionary symbol, in the center of the flag. Instead, it appears to be a generic tricolor, although the patterns along the borders between the colors appear closer to the current design than the older one.

By: Charles Lurio

Charles Lurio — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 18:11:59 +0000

I admit my heart is with her freedom to wear both flags, or at least both sets of colors.
Putting that aside for a moment, I’m curious as to _which_ Iranian flag she was going to wear – pre- revolution, with a lion holding a sword, or the present one, with some unidentifiable symbols taking the lion’s place, but with (I think) the same three color bands.
The problem I have with the _current_ flag is that given Ahdiminijad’s statements about finishing up what Hitler started, it’s beginning to morph into a swastika flag in my head.

By: Chance

Chance — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:39:07 +0000

Yeah, you’re right. Backspace delete.

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:06:19 +0000

Yeah, agree with the pettiness comment, but, er, it’s not “NASA’s politics.” NASA is a federal agency; NASA takes its marching orders from the Administration du jour. It’s “U.S.” politics–NASA is just stuck in the middle.

By: Chance

Chance — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 12:48:16 +0000

I think not allowing her to wear both patches is a bit petty. It’s her trip, she paid for it, and as long as it doesn’t interfere with the operations, health, or welfare of the other participants, why not allow it? I know commercial space might not go anywhere, but I hope so, just to stick it to NASA and their politics.