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CNN Sunday Morning

Tito Returns to Earth

Aired May 06, 2001 - 09:01   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour on the barren steppe of Kazakstan where, about eight hours ago, Dennis Tito's excellent space adventure ended with a gentle landing. The world's first fare paying space tourist says his trip to the international space station Alpha was like a journey to paradise.

The California millionaire and his two cosmonaut tour guides floated into their Soyuz spacecraft about six hours before the landing.

A space station crewmember, NASA astronaut, Jim Voss was cordial, shaking Tito's hand as he disembarked. NASA brass strongly objected to the $20 million sojourn. The agency said it was not safe to send an amateur to Alpha at this stage.

Despite gusty crosswinds, the Soyuz's landing apparently went off without a hitch. The shoots opened and the retro rockets fired, cushioning the landing. And then Tito was hoisted out of the tiny capsule although he seemed buoyant enough to float on his own.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DENNIS TITO, SPACE TOURIST: Great! Best! Best! Best of all!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: It is Kazak custom to offer arriving cosmonauts apples. So, adding to the circus-like atmosphere, Tito juggled the fruit as we are seeing right about here -- or at least, I should say, he tried.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TITO: I'm used to weightlessness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Well, that has nothing to do with Dennis Tito - what you're seeing there right now. Tito is now back on his way to Moscow. He says he won't waste any time returning to the U.S. He says he will crusade to allow others to follow in his footsteps.

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