The greatest adventure in human life: 7 stories of space tourists


    Space tourism is unique: it is a visa-free travel with the most stringent customs rules in the world, but attractive for everyone. Anyone can see the place of arrival, just going to the window, but only a few can afford to go there . The richest people in the world part with the sums of $ 20, $ 30, $ 40 million for the sake of several days in space. So far, only 7 people have been in orbit as tourists, each of them flying with Russian crews through intermediary company Space Adventures . Read more about these pioneers below.

    Dennis Anthony Tito


    Flight price: $ 20 million.
    Flight dates: April 28 - May 6, 2001




    On April 28, 2001, the first space tourist Dennis Tito went into space.

    Dennis Anthony Tito was not young. He was born on August 8, 1940 in New York to a family of poor Italian immigrants. He founded his own company, Wilshire Associates, became rich, was engaged in ecology, his life was like a well-coordinated mechanism, and he wanted something more - having learned about the opportunity to visit the Mir orbital station as a tourist, he applied to Roscosmos.

    Preparation for the flight lasted almost 8 months. Tito was in space for 7 days, 22 hours and 4 minutes. Despite all-round preparation, he still experienced two unpleasant moments: small heart problems during launch, and in orbit, without calculating his own trajectory in weightlessness, spread the skin on his head, hitting the hatch. Despite these little things, Tito was delighted with the flight.



    “This is the greatest adventure of my life,” he said when he returned. - I visited heaven and soared like an angel, looking down to Earth. He knew that it would be a risky adventure, and was preparing for trials. However, all six days I experienced euphoria. "

    Mark Richard Shuttleworth


    Flight price: $ 20 million.
    Flight dates: April 25 - May 5, 2002




    Mark Shuttleworth was born on September 18, 1973 in the city of Welkom (South Africa). His father was a surgeon, and his mother was a kindergarten teacher. Traction to innovative technologies allowed the guy to finish his studies at the University of Cape Town, receiving a bachelor's degree in finance and innovative technologies. In 1995, Shuttleworth founded the company Thawte, and 10 years later - the Ubuntu Foundation. Since 2005, owns a controlling stake in the company Impi Linux.

    Inspired by the flight of Dennis Tito, the first space tourist, Mark decides to do the same. The dream of a 28-year-old South African businessman came true after filing an application to Space Adventures.

    Preparation lasted for almost a year. Mark had to spend seven months in Star City. The launch into orbit was carried out on the Soyuz TM-34 spacecraft. Shuttleworth stayed in space for 9 days, 21 hours and 25 minutes. At the ISS station, he participated in experiments on the study of the genome and AIDS. On May 5, 2002, Mark returned to Earth, after which he became a national hero in South Africa.



    "A space flight? Yes, he is very much changing attitudes towards life. It is impossible to see the Earth from space and not remain deeply impressed by the beauty of the moment ... ”- so Shuttleworth answered the question of what changed his flight into space.

    Gregory Hammond Olsen


    Flight price: $ 20 million.
    Flight dates: October 1 - October 11, 2005



    Gregory Olsen (left)

    Gregory Olsen was born on April 20, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York (USA). In 1962, Gregory graduated from Ridgefield Park High School. From that moment on, he simply could not stop - a craving for knowledge for Gregory was compared with a drug. He received several undergraduate degrees, a doctorate and a degree from the University of Port Elizabeth (South Africa). From 1972 to 1983, he grew crystals, working for RCA, and in 1984 he founded his own company EPITAXX Inc, which specialized in the production of fiber sensors and emitters. Thanks to this, Olsen became a millionaire.

    Gregory had long planned a space flight, so for two years, with a certain frequency, he trained with Russian astronauts in Star City. Some health problems were the reasons for the unplanned stitching of his flight into space. The flight finally took place on October 1, 2005.

    While on the ISS, Olsen not only entertained and enjoyed the view of the stars and planets: he conducted a number of his own experiments on remote sensing and astronomy, and also studied the mutations of microorganisms in zero gravity. The scientist returned to Earth on October 11, 2005, having stayed in space for 9 days, 21 hours and 15 minutes.

    “I like to be here, to swim in zero gravity,” Olsen wrote to the Associated Press e-mail, staying on the ISS. By the way, the scientist does not like to call himself the third space tourist, preferring another name - “the first private researcher”.

    Anoushe Ansari


    Flight price: $ 20 million.
    Flight dates: September 18 - September 29, 2006



    Anoushe Ansari became the first ever space tourist among women.

    Anush was born on September 12, 1966 in Mashhad, Iran. She spent her childhood and youth in Tehran, where her parents moved. In 1984 Anush leaves for study in the USA. She receives a bachelor's degree in computer science and electronics, and later - a master's degree in the same disciplines. In 1993, Anoushe and her brother founded Telecom Technologies, Inc., which brings them multimillion-dollar profits.

    Anusha Ansari was a backup for the Japanese millionaire Daisuke Enomoto, who was to become the fourth space tourist, but on August 21, 2006, his candidacy was withdrawn due to health problems. In space, Anusha stayed for almost 12 days and studied the effects of radiation and weightlessness on crew members and microorganisms. The cosmic tourist returned to Earth on September 29, 2006.



    Charles Simoni


    Flight price: $ 25 million + $ 35 million.
    Flight dates: April 7 - April 21, 2007 and March 26 - April 7, 2009




    Charles Simoni made two whole flights into space - his wife forbade him to fly for the third time, and this prohibition is contained in his marriage contract .

    Charles was born on September 10, 1948 in the city of Budapest (Hungary). In 1966 he moved from Hungary to Denmark, and in 1968 went to study in the United States, where he received citizenship and remained to live. From 1981, he worked at Microsoft, but in 2002, he left it and founded Intentional Software Corporation.

    In 2006, Simoni decided to go into space and signed an agreement with Space Adventures, Ltd. After passing all the necessary medical examinations, Charles began his studies at Star City in September 2006, and on April 7, 2007 he flew away. The businessman was in space for 15 days and returned to Earth on April 21, 2007. The second flight of Simoni took place on March 26, 2009 and lasted 14 days.



    “I would have spent a month on the ISS without any questions, I would not be able to spend half a year at the station - for such a long time good preparation is required. I completed my space program completely: I took part in experiments, helped the main crew, thanks to this they had free time. It’s a pity that there is no sauna on the ISS, as it was at Mir station, ”commented Charles Simonyi on his first flight.

    Richard Allen Garriott


    Flight price: $ 30 million.
    Flight dates: October 12 - October 23, 2008




    Richard was born on July 4, 1961 in Cambridge (United Kingdom). His father worked as a researcher and astronaut, and his mother was an artist. Richard grew up in the United States, where he received an education. Learning was not easy for a guy, because as a schoolboy, he created small video games for Apple II and distributed them to friends, and in 1979 he wrote his first game. Today, Richard Garriott is one of the most popular video game developers.

    Garriott's dream of space was voiced in 1983, but only realized in 2008. The contract with Space Adventures was signed back in 2007. Richard underwent a thorough medical examination and spent about 8 months in Star City, after which he was ready to fly into space. Start took place on October 12, 2008. Garrison was in space for 11 days, 20 hours and 35 minutes. A well-known video game developer returned to Earth on October 23, 2008.



    Guy Laliberte


    Flight price: $ 40 million.
    Flight dates: September 30 - October 11, 2009




    Canadian Guy Laliberte was born on September 2, 1959 in the city of Quebec (Canada), where he received an education. He started his way to wealth by an ordinary circus player, playing the accordion and gulping fire. Over time, he created his own company Cirque du Soleil, which was a circus that used different styles of performances from different parts of the world. Since 2007, Guy has been playing in professional poker tournaments.

    Like all previous tourists, Laliberte went through a year of preparation before flying into space. The flight of the businessman was carried out on September 30, 2009. The main purpose of the flight, Guy called the education of society in the field of water problems of the planet Earth, and even made a 120-minute video presentation from space, which was broadcast online in different parts of the world. Guy stayed in space for 11 days, 21 hours and 17 minutes, returning to Earth on October 11, 2009.

    “It touches, it changes you, it is emotional, and I would like everyone on Earth to see the Earth like this,” Laliberte shared his impressions.



    The development of commercial cosmonautics in Russia with more affordable flight costs is one of the key topics of the InSpace Forum .

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