Cirque du Soleil Founder First Clown In Space

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte along with crew members American astronaut Jeffrey Williams and Russian cosmonaut Maxim Surayev successfully reached orbit yesterday en-route to the International Space Station. The space tourist and crew of the Russian made Soyuz TMA-16 craft are expected to rendezvous with the ISS on Friday.

"Laliberte, an experienced stilt-walker and fire-breather dubbed the first clown in space, had donned a bulbous red nose and blew kisses to supporters before the launch. He has paid $35 million for the trip he plans to use to publicize the world's growing shortage of clean water."

Source: The Discovery Channel / AP

Space Tourist Arrives At International Space Station

A 47-year-old computer game designer Richard Garriott, the son former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, has arrived at the International Space Station after paying the $30m (£17m) fair for a 10-day trip to the ISS. "Mr Garriott will occupy some of his time taking photos to record how the Earth's surface has changed in the 35 years since his father's voyage." Garriot arrived at the ISS aboard the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft carrying a new crew for the ISS, American Mike Fincke and Russian Yuri Lonchakov. I can understand Garriott wanting to follow in his father's footsteps but is there really that much money in designing computer games? BBC Story.

Putting my space travel plans on hold, for now

The sliding US dollar means that travel plans for about a dozen would be International Space Station tourists may have to change. The trip cost $25 million earlier this year but has jumped to $30 million due to exchange rates vs. the Russian ruble, if that's not bad enough space travelers will likely have to pony up $40 million in 2008/2009. After that you might just be out of luck for a few years as NASA plans to retire the Space Shuttle fleet in 2010 and the 3 person Russian Soyuz vehicles will be in greater demand for space station missions, seats will be scarce! Somebody call Sir Richard!

CBC news article.