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Space Adventures' Orbital Spaceflight Client Charles Simonyi Outlines Mission Activities as He Readies for Launch to the International Space Station

Posted on: Thursday, 19 March 2009, 08:00 CDT

Simonyi Makes History as the First Repeat Private Space Explorer

VIENNA, Va., March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- In preparation for his March 26 launch, Charles Simonyi has outlined the mission objectives he hopes to achieve during his second visit to the International Space Station (ISS). Dr. Simonyi is the seventh orbital client for Space Adventures, Ltd., the only company that provides human space missions to the world marketplace.

Dr. Simonyi will make history during his spaceflight by becoming the first private explorer to complete a second mission to space. He previously flew to the ISS in spring 2007 as Space Adventures' fifth orbital client. On his return mission, Dr. Simonyi aims to continue to make contributions toward space research, and advance civilian space travel while inspiring kids in their studies of science and math.

"I feel my efforts are helping to open the space frontier to private travel. Just like all industries, it takes commitment and investment from a few key organizations and customers in order to open it to a larger market. Each time Space Adventures launches an orbital explorer, like myself, we are one step closer to making this dream a reality for others," said Dr. Simonyi. "I'm honored to return to the ISS and excited to conduct scientific experiments for the European Space Agency and for other national space organizations. I also hope my mission inspires young people all over the world to pursue science and engineering careers."

Dr. Simonyi will launch to the ISS aboard the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. He will travel with the Expedition 19 crew, which includes Commander Gennady Padalka of the Russian space agency and Flight Engineer Michael Barratt of NASA, for his 12-day mission.

Mission Activities

During his stay aboard the ISS, Dr. Simonyi will focus on research and educational outreach:

Educational Outreach

He will communicate with hundreds of students via HAM radio signal in cooperation with Amateur Radio on the ISS (ARISS). He aims to motivate and inspire students, delivering the message that all it takes to reach one's dreams is study and determination.

Research and Experiments

Dr. Simonyi will once again contribute to the research of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Hungarian Space Office. Part of Dr. Simonyi's mission objectives are to advance the understanding of the health effects of spaceflight.

In cooperation with ESA, Dr. Simonyi will perform a series of experiments developed by investigators, including the:

• Study of the physical impact of spaceflight on cosmonauts and astronauts through Early Detection of Osteoporosis in Space
• Study of the occurrence and development of Low Back Pain during spaceflight

Dr. Simonyi also will work closely with the Hungarian Space Office and the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation as he plans to measure and monitor radiation on the ISS using a dosimeter, called PILLE-MKS. Astronauts and cosmonauts living and working on the space station are exposed to galactic and solar cosmic radiation, which may have potential long-term health effects. Dr. Simonyi participated in this experiment on his first mission and looks forward to continuing to assist in generating a map of the radiation environment on the space station. The results of the project will be helpful in designing better spacecraft shielding for future ISS crews.

As an independent project, Dr. Simonyi will use Windows on Earth software, developed by TERC, to assist him in photographing our planet. Individuals who are interested in tracking Dr. Simonyi's mission can also utilize the software, observing Earth as he does (http://winearth.terc.edu/).

www.CharlesinSpace.com

Dr. Simonyi will share his experiences on a daily basis through his Web site, www.charlesinspace.com. The site's "Mission Updates" section will feature live video from NASA TV, as well as Dr. Simonyi's audio recordings direct from space. Dr. Simonyi will also continue to blog while in orbit and answer questions posed by visitors on his site. Students will be able to participate in his mission by taking an online Kids' Quiz.

About Charles Simonyi

Dr. Simonyi's return mission to the ISS is the latest destination in a life defined by exploration and discovery. Born in Budapest, he had a passion for science, math, technology and space. Dr. Simonyi learned computer programming early in life, which would shape his professional career for decades and enable him to achieve his entrepreneurial dreams. At the age of 13, Dr. Simonyi represented Hungary as a junior Cosmonaut and won a trip to Moscow to meet one of the first Cosmonauts, Pavel Popovich.

Dr. Simonyi earned his Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley and a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University. From 1972 to 1980, Dr. Simonyi worked at Xerox Corporation's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). He left PARC to join Microsoft Corporation, where Dr. Simonyi held the titles of Director of Application Development, Chief Architect and Distinguished Engineer, leading the development of Microsoft Word and Excel.

In August of 2002, Dr. Simonyi left Microsoft and founded Intentional Software Corporation, an engineering company focused on improving the way organizations write software. He founded the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences in 2003 to support arts organizations, and science institutions, such as the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, among others.

He is a trained pilot in multi-engine aircraft and instrument flying, currently holding licenses for jets and helicopters, and has logged more than 2,000 hours of flying time. In 2007, he became the fifth private citizen to travel into space.

Dr. Simonyi is married to Lisa Persdotter who worked in asset management and marketing.

About Space Adventures

Space Adventures, the company that organized the flights for the world's first private space explorers, is headquartered in Vienna, Va. with an office in Moscow. It offers a variety of programs such as the availability today for spaceflight missions to the International Space Station and around the moon, Zero-Gravity flights, cosmonaut training, spaceflight qualification programs and reservations on future suborbital spacecrafts. The company's advisory board includes Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, Shuttle astronauts Sam Durrance, Tom Jones, Byron Lichtenberg, Norm Thagard, Kathy Thornton, Pierre Thuot, Charles Walker, Skylab/Shuttle astronaut Owen Garriott and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachev. For more information, please visit www.spaceadventures.com.

SOURCE Space Adventures Ltd.

Source: PR Newswire

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