X-Nico

8 unusual facts about Dennis Tito


Dennis Tito

In mid-2001, he spent nearly eight days in orbit as a crew member of ISS EP-1, a visiting mission to the International Space Station.

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Tito met criticism from NASA before the launch, primarily from Daniel Goldin, at that time the Administrator of NASA, who considered it inappropriate for a tourist to take a ride into space.

Manned Venus Flyby

As a "Plan B" in case the proposed Inspiration Mars fly-by of Mars missed its 2018 launch window, in November 2013 Dennis Tito proposed a different mission architecture whereby the mission craft would first fly-by Venus, using Venus in a gravitational slingshot to speed the craft's onward journey to Mars.

Perlan Project

Design and construction are ongoing as of May 2011 in Bend, Oregon, with a $2 million gift by space tourist Dennis Tito helping to keep the project funded.

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In June of 2010 Dennis Tito joined the perlan Project as a pilot and major funder.

Soyuz TM-31

The crew launched by Soyuz TM-32, which included the first paying space tourist Dennis Tito, were returned to Earth in May aboard Soyuz TM-31.

Susan J. Helms

She and her crewmates also performed a 'fly around' of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft and welcomed the visiting Soyuz crew that included the first space tourist, Dennis Tito.

Talgat Musabayev

His third spaceflight was a short duration visiting mission to the International Space Station, which also carried the first paying space tourist Dennis Tito.



see also