Other tourists who made it to space

DENNIS TITO: This California multimillionaire blasted off for space from the Baikonur cosmodrome in April 2001, becoming the first person to pay for the ride. He reportedly paid $20 million for the eight-day trip.

MARK SHUTTLEWORTH: In 2002, the South African software millionaire spent 11 days aboard the space station, where he had a radio conversation with Nelson Mandela and rejected a marriage proposal from a terminally-ill 14-year old South African girl.

GREGORY OLSEN: The developer of optoelectronic devices used ham radio to talk to astronomy students during his October 2005 flight.

ANOUSHEH ANSARI: The Iranian-born US telecoms millionaire became the first Muslim woman in space and used her flight to inspire young women in the Middle East and Islamic world.

CHARLES SIMONYI: The Hungarian-born former Microsoft executive first left for the ISS in April 2007 and made a second trip in March 2009.

RICHARD GARRIOTT: The sixth space tourist, a video game designer, reportedly paid $30 million for his October 2008 flight, during which he shot the first feature film in space, Apogee of Fear. Garriott used his 5 crew mates as principal actors for the film, which has not yet been released.

AP

(China Daily 09/30/2009 page10)