World's first space tourist 10 years on: Dennis Tito

Quite apart from the fact that he could afford to do this, this man seems almost spiritual about his experience, recalling many of the interviews with astronauts who have walked on the moon. Such simple but moving descriptions. And I think he's entirely correct when he says that there are many, many people alive today who would pay every penny they have to have this experience.

Also it's hilarious that NASA turned him down, but when he approached the Russian Federal Space Agency, they pretty much said: "???? ????????????, ?????????? ?????????????? ??????? ????????????????????, ???????????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ?????????????????? ?? ?????????????? ???????????????????? ??????????????!"
(Google it!)

Childhood Hero

Yuri Gagarin was a childhood hero of mine, the first human in space and a mysterious figure from behind the iron curtain.

In the 70s, without today’s instant fingertip access to all the world’s knowledge, it was impossible for an eight-year-old in Northern Ireland to discover anything more about Gagarin other than that he existed, that he orbited the earth in 1961 and that he had a few years of international celebrity.

I lost sight of my space addiction, and never since thought to learn more about it so I’m pleased, pleasantly surprised and saddened to read this article marking the 50th anniversary of the original human in space.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12460720