US space tourist set for launch

[Rick]

US space tourist Richard Garriott will follow in the footsteps of his astronaut father when he blasts off into space on Sunday.

Mr Garriott has paid about $30m (£15m) for his 10-day trip to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft, mounted on a three-stage rocket, is due to launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 0701 GMT (0801 BST; 0301 EDT).

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7664963.stm

[Rick]

The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft carrying a new crew for the International Space Station (ISS) has docked with the orbiting outpost.

Flying with American Mike Fincke and Russian Yuri Lonchakov is the US fare-paying tourist Richard Garriott.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7668965.stm

[Rick]

Space tourist Richard Garriott and cosmonauts Oleg Kononeko and Sergei Volkov this morning returned safely to Earth from the International Space Station, touching down in their Soyuz capsule in Kazakhstan at 10:37pm CDT (03:37 GMT).

Garriot stumped a cool $17m to spend ten days in space, following in the footsteps of his dad Owen Garriot who in 1973 passed 60 days aboard Skylab. Kononeko and Volkov ended their Expedition 17 jaunt to the ISS having enjoyed 199 days in orbit and 197 days on the space outpost.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/24/space_tourist_home/

[Rick]

A Soyuz space capsule carrying two Russian crew and an American space tourist has returned to Earth.

It landed safely in Kazakhstan at 0336GMT, and the crew reported that they were "feeling well".

On board were Russian cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko, as well as American Richard Garriott.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7688021.stm

[Rick]

It's not every day your presenter doesn't need to be told who their next guest is. So, I'll forgive Hasit who was in charge of this morning's programme for telling Nicky who the man in the spacesuit was sitting opposite him.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/fivelivebreakfast/2008/10/the_astronaut_in_the_room.html