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CNN Live Saturday

First Space Tourist On His Way to International Space Station

Aired April 28, 2001 - 12:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: First space tourist Dennis Tito is on his way to the international space station, while at the space station, a shuttle crew hopes to complete repairs and check out before Tito and his Russian crewmates check in.

We kick off our space coverage with the successful launch of Dennis Tito and two Russian cosmonauts. CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty is here with the details for us. Hi, Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Donna. Well, Dennis Tito and those two Russian cosmonauts at this very moment are orbiting the Earth. And if Dennis Tito is doing what he said he would be doing, he is probably looking out that window back at Earth, something that he has dreamed of doing for 40 years.

The Soyuz space vehicle that they are on has actually already carried out one maneuver, it is called an approach maneuver to the international space station, and it will be carrying out another one tomorrow, which is Sunday. And then finally, if everything goes according to plan, they will be docking with the international space station on Monday.

But there is still a question, because as you mentioned, Donna, the shuttle Endeavour is still tethered to the ISS. They had computer problems, as you know, they had to get those corrected, and they are hoping that they will be leaving the ISS Sunday, so that the next vehicle can be tethered on Monday.

Shortly after takeoff, mission control asked Dennis Tito how he was doing. And he used one of the Russian words that he does know. He said "khorosho," which means they are well. It has been a long road to space for Dennis Tito. He actually wanted to do this 10 years ago, but then the Soviet Union collapsed, then they offered him a seat to the Mir space station, and we all know what happened to the Mir space station. It was sunk last month. And then they finally said, well, we can offer a seat on the ISS. And that is what he took them up on.

He does say that there is one thing that he is not looking forward to, Donna, and that is the food. He did say that what he would really prefer is sushi. But they don't have that up there.

KELLEY: All right, Jill. You know, with the $20 million reported that Tito has paid to go on this little trip, what are they going to do with the $20 million? Have you heard?

DOUGHERTY: It goes to the space program. And the Russian space program really does need money. They are terribly underfinanced, and they have to -- they have built part of the international space station, and they need the money to carry out these missions. So, that's one primary reason that they wanted Dennis Tito to continue regardless, is that they need the money.

KELLEY: OK, Jill Dougherty, our Moscow bureau chief, thanks very much.

And now for the latest on the shuttle. NASA officials say that Endeavour must pull away from the space station before the Russian spacecraft can park there. So mission control and the astronauts are working to get the shuttle's computer system working before tomorrow's scheduled undocking.

The computer problems have kept the astronauts from performing a key test of the space station's new billion-dollar robot arm. If the computer problems take more time to fix, Russia says it will delay the Soyuz docking.

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