U.S. Billionaire Buys Ticket to Return to Space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Recession or no, billionaire Charles Simonyi couldn't pass up another shot at space, even if it meant shelling out $35 million more.Besides, it may one of the last times the Russian government allows tourists to hitch a ride to the international space station."It's now or never," said Simonyi, who has now spent $60 million for a couple of space vacations. The first was $25 million. A computer genius who helped build Microsoft, Simonyi will become the world's first two-time space tourist when he leaves Earth behind Thursday. He'll be accompanied by two professional astronauts — a Russian and American — who will be going up for a six-month stint at the space station.