Space tourist blasts off to ISS

[Rick]

A Russian Soyuz rocket has blasted off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome to ferry a three-member crew to the International Space Station (ISS).

Among them is US billionaire Charles Simonyi, aged 60, who is the first space tourist to make the trip twice.

The software tycoon, who has paid $35m (£24m) for his trip, will be the last tourist for the foreseeable future.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7964977.stm

[Rick]

(...and a related story.)

Anousheh Ansari made headlines in 2006 when she paid $20m (£14m) to become the world's first female space tourist.

After a lengthy training programme, Ms Ansari was a late addition to the Soyuz rocket crew after one of the original team was deemed medically unfit to travel.

She successfully completed an eight day stay on board the International Space Station fulfilling her lifelong ambition.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/archive/7968022.stm

[Rick]

 A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying US space tourist Charles Simonyi and two other crewmembers has landed in Kazakhstan, Russian officials say.

The craft touched down at 1116 local time (0716 GMT) as planned, a few hours after undocking from the international space station (ISS).

Mr Simonyi, a former Microsoft executive, is the world's first space tourist to visit the ISS twice.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7989226.stm

[Rick]

Space tourist Charles Simonyi this morning returned to Earth from the International Space Station at the end of his second trip to the orbiting outpost.

He and Expedition 18 members Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov (right and left in pic) touched down in Kazakhstan aboard their Soyuz TMA-13 capsule at 07:16 GMT. All three are reported to be in "good condition".

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/08/expedition_18_lands/