Charles Simony comes back on Earth · 2007-04-23 13:18
After his US$25 million two-week visit to the International Space StationAmerican billionaire Charles Simony said: “It’s good to be back, good to be back on Earth. Fantastic.”
The capsule carrying Simonyi, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, and U.S. astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria touched down after a more than three-hour trip from the orbital station.
“I crossed my fingers all the way, and I am very happy now,” Simonyi’s brother, Tamas, said at Mission Control.
“Yes, I was nervous, but now it’s a big relief to know that he’s safe and sound and that the crew is safe and sound.”
Alexei Krasnov, head of the manned missions at the Russian space agency, praised Simonyi’s determination.
Forty years ago Charles Simonyi at the age of 13 won a trip to Moscow to meet with a Soviet cosmonaut as a prize in a space contest.
“So many years have passed and the dream he had has been fulfilled,” Alexei Krasnov said. “”It costs dearly to realize your life’s dream.”
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