Happy birthday, space tourist Charles Simonyi!

Charles Simonyi, born September 10, 1949 in Budapest, Hungary is the fifth space tourist in space.  He is the second Hungarian in space and made two trips to the International Space Station.

His first trip into space was aboard Soyuz TMA-10 in April 2007.  He returned to Earth 12 days later aboard Soyuz TMA-9.

His second trip was aboard Soyuz TMA-14 in March 2009.  He returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-13 in April 2009.

Soyuz TMA-10 launched 2007

Soyuz TMA-10 crew (L-R): Charles Simonyi, Oleg Kotov, Fyodor Yurchikhin

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-10, launched April 7, 2007, carried members of Expedition 15 and a space tourist to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Oleg Kotov and Fyodor Yurchikhin.  The tourist was Charles Simonyi of Hungary.

Simonyi stayed on board for 26 days and returned to Earth on Soyuz TMA-9.  Kotov and Yurchikhin remained on the ISS until October 2007.

Soyuz TMA-13 launched 2008

Soyuz TMA-13 crew (L-R): Richard Garriott, Yury Lonchakov, Michael Fincke

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-13, launched October 12, 2008 to the International Space Station, was the 100th manned Soyuz spacecraft.  Its crew consisted of Yury Lonchakov (Roscosmos), Michael Fincke (NASA) and Richard Garriott (space tourist).

Lonchakov and Fincke were the crew of Expedition 18 and remained on the ISS until April 2009.

Richard Garriott is the son of Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott.  Space tourist Charles Simonyi returned with Lonchakov and Fincke in April 2009.

Soyuz TMA-9 launched 2006

Soyuz TMA-9 crew (L-R): Michael Lopez-Alegria, Anousheh Ansari, Mikhail Tyurin

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-9, launched September 18, 2006, transported a tourist to the International Space Station and another back to Earth.  Its crew consisted of Commander Mikhail Tyurin (Roscosmos) and Michael Lopez-Alegria (NASA).  Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American engineer, was the first self-funded woman in space, the fourth overall self-funded space tourist, and the first Iranian in space.

Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria were part of Expedition 14.  They returned to Earth in April 2007 with space tourist Charles Simonyi, the second Hungarian in space.  Ansari stayed only 9 days aboard the ISS.

Soyuz TMA-14 launched 2009

From left to right: Charles Simonyi, Gennadi Padalka, Michael Barratt

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-14, launched March 26, 2009, carried two members of Expedition 19 to the International Space Station.  Its crew was Gennady Padalka (Roscosmos) and Michael Barratt (NASA).  Also on board was a space tourist Charles Simonyi, who was traveling on his second self-funded flight to the space station.

Padalka and Barratt stayed on the ISS throughout Expeditions 19 and 20 and returned to Earth, October 11, 2009.  Another space tourist, Guy Laliberte from Canada, returned with them. 

Roscosmos and nations' space program invited children from ages 6-15 to design and submit a patch for Soyuz TMA-14.  The winner was Anna Chibiskova from Moscow.  Her artwork was incorporated into the patch.