Charles Simonyi Safely Returns To Earth In The Soyuz TMA-14

Charles Simonyi became a billionaire through his employment with Microsoft. Simonyi was basically the man behind the creation of Microsoft Office. Now he runs his own company called Intentional Software. Last month, Simonyi boarded the Soyuz TMA-14 with several Russian-Americans as part of a space trip. Today it was announced that he has arrived back to Earth safe and sound. He paid about $60 million for two trips to the International Space Station.

The flight touched down in Kazakhstan today. Other individuals that were on the space trip includes American astronaut Michael Fincke and Russian engineer Yuri Lonchakov.

Simonyi’s trip is believed to have been set-up through Space Adventures, a U.S. company that arranges tourists to fly in space. Simonyi may be the last space tourist for the next few years because all of the Soyuz seats are now booked by professional crews that represent 16 countries. Those space crews are working on a $100 billion orbital outpost project.

[via Reuters/CrunchGear]

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