Subscribe to Technology UpdatesComputer Tycoon Descends from Space
April 21, 2007 02:18 PM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Software billionaire Charles Simonyi completes his mission to the International Space Station, a small step in the history of space tourism.
30 Second Summary
April 21, 2007, Kazakhstan––The space capsule carrying the software engineer behind Excel and Word made a soft landing on the Kazakh steppe.
Fifty-two-year-old Simonyi is the world’s fifth space tourist. He paid around $25 million for the 13-day mission to the International Space Station. The Soyuz TMA–10 capsule carrying him lifted off from the Baikonur Spaceport at 1231 EST, April 7, 2007.
The computer tycoon's return was delayed a day, because of concerns that flooding in the landing area could hamper recovery of the capsule.
Simonyi’s close friend, the businesswoman and lifestyle guru Martha Stewart was present at the launch. There has been much media conjecture that the two are romantically involved. Stewart made her own contribution to the mission by choosing the crew’s menu for Cosmonauts’ Day, April 12.
Enthusiasts herald trips such as Simonyi’s as the next small step in mankind’s exploration of space: the age of the astro-tourist.
Fifty-two-year-old Simonyi is the world’s fifth space tourist. He paid around $25 million for the 13-day mission to the International Space Station. The Soyuz TMA–10 capsule carrying him lifted off from the Baikonur Spaceport at 1231 EST, April 7, 2007.
The computer tycoon's return was delayed a day, because of concerns that flooding in the landing area could hamper recovery of the capsule.
Simonyi’s close friend, the businesswoman and lifestyle guru Martha Stewart was present at the launch. There has been much media conjecture that the two are romantically involved. Stewart made her own contribution to the mission by choosing the crew’s menu for Cosmonauts’ Day, April 12.
Enthusiasts herald trips such as Simonyi’s as the next small step in mankind’s exploration of space: the age of the astro-tourist.
Headline
Simonyi accompanied two Russian cosmonauts, Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov. Yurchikhin and Kotov replaced two of the International Space Station's crew, who were able to return to earth with the computer technology billionaire.
Source: CNN
The Russian Soyuz TMA–10 took off on schedule on April 7, 2007, entering orbit a few minutes after launch. Simonyi is the 450th person to go into orbit, and the world’s 5th space tourist.
Source: The BBC
Martha Stewart designed a celebratory meal for Simonyi and the crew that includes roast quail in Madira wine, duck breast confit with capers, and shredded chicken parmentier.
Source: USA Today
Key Players
Charles Simonyi was the chief architect of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. The Soyuz TMA–10 docked with the International Space Station, April 9, 2007, and the entire mission is documented on Simonyi’s multimedia Web site.
Source: Charles Simonyi's Web site
Martha Stewart parlayed her knowledge of “gracious living” into a multimillion-dollar industry. In 2004, after a being investigated for insider trading, she spent five months in jail before being released to house arrest.
Source: Who2.com
History
Former NASA employee Dennis Tito became the world’s first space tourist on April 28, 2001. He, like Simonyi, was launched into orbit on a Russian rocket.
Source: CNN
Simonyi’s week-long sojourn on the International Space Station required a year of intensive training with Russian cosmonauts. This procedure, as well as the recent history and probable future of space tourism, is covered in a short documentary from space.com.
Source: space.com
Reference Material
Simonyi arranged his orbital trip through Space Adventures, which provides regular updates on his mission, the longest spaceflight ever made by a private citizen.
Source: Space Adventures
The Soyuz TMA–10 is the capsule launched by the rocket, rather than the rocket itself. The specifications for the spacecraft are available on the site of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency.
Source: Roscosmos
NASA describes the International Space Station, which was home to Simonyi for most of his trip, as a place where “astronauts are working to improve life on earth and extend life beyond our home planet.”
Source: NASA
Related
A referendum in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, resulted in the passage of the spaceport tax, which will fund the creation of America’s first public spaceport. The spaceport should be operational by late 2009 or 2010.
Source: spaceportamerica.com
The first commercial space service to plan operations from the Dona Ana spaceport is Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. Branson's new company is now selling tickets for trips into space at $200,000 each with a $20,000 deposit.
Source: Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic will model its spacecraft on SpaceShipOne, winner of the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. Entrants competed to build and launch a spacecraft capable of carrying 3 people 100 kilometers above the earth’s surface, twice within two weeks.
Source: Ansari X-Prize
USA Today provides some great graphics of the Virgin Galactic space craft, and profiles the people paying $200,000 for an out-of-this-world trip. The future space tourists include “Soviet émigré” Lina Borozdina–Birch, 38, who remortgaged her home to fund the trip, despite having a fear of flying.
Source: USA Today
Nevada entrepreneur Dennis Hope has built a multimillion-dollar industry by exploiting a legal loophole to sell real estate on the moon.
Source: The BBC
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