Dennis Tito

                  He wanted to do something new. To him, this world is full of challenge and only those could be a successful man who dared to face those challenges. He, too, wanted to be a complete human being by facing the challenge. And to him, this challenge became a source of new exploration. It was April 28, 2001 at 07:45 GMT, he, along with other colleagues, left the Earth and made his target to the unlimited space.

                  And he was Dennis Tito, a United States multimillionaire and the first space tourist. Tito has a Bachelor of Science in Astronautics and Aeronautics from New York University, and a Master of Science in Engineering Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute satellite campus in Hartford, Connecticut. He is a member of Psi Upsilon and received an honorary doctorate of engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on 18 May 2002 and is a former scientist of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In 1972, he founded Wilshire Associates, a leading provider of investment management, consulting and technology services in Santa Monica, California. Despite a career change from aerospace engineering to investment management, Tito remained interested in space exploration.

                 In a project first arranged by MirCorp, Tito was accepted by the Russian Federal Space Agency as a candidate. Tito met criticism from NASA before the launch considering him "un-American" for using the Russian Soyuz as his ticket to space. When Tito arrived at the Johnson Space Center for additional training on the American sections of the ISS, Robert cabana. NASA manager, sent Tito and his two fellow cosmonauts home, stating "....We will not be able to begin training, because we are not willing to train with Dennis Tito."

              But still he did not lose his patience and kept his determination firmed. Later, through an arrangement with space tourism company Space Adventures, Ltd., Tito joined Soyuz TM-32 on April 28, 2001, spending 7 days, 22 hours, 4 minutes in space and orbiting Earth 128 times. Tito performed several scientific experiments in orbit that he said would be use full for his company and business. Tito paid a reported $12 million.

            Either a way, Tito completed his mission and in mid-2001 he spent nearly eight days in orbit on Soyuz TM-32, the International Space Station, and Soyuz TM-31. he not only achieved his goal he opened the way to all other astronauts.