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U.S. space tourist ready to blast-off
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-30 19:45
Olsen is the third non-astronaut to visit the station, preceded by American
Dennis Tito four years ago and South African Mark Shuttleworth in 2002.
After blasting off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in the middle of Kazakhstan's
barren steppes, the Soyuz TMA-7 capsule will rendezvous in two days with the
station, about 250 miles above the Earth. Along with the station's current
inhabitants, Russian Sergei Krikalev and American John Phillips, the three will
help bring cargo onboard and perform experiments.
Alongside the nearly four dozen scientific experiments to be conducted during
Expedition 12 will be at least one commercial shoot: a plug for Japanese
noodles. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency is sending a high-definition
camera to the station so that a cosmonaut can film a commercial for Nissin Food
Products' product, Cup Noodle instant noodles. The commercial is set to air in
November.
Phillips and Krikalev, who have been on the station since April, are
scheduled to return to Earth along with Olsen on Oct. 11, touching down in
Kazakhstan.
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