Out of This World

Denton, TX: Would you do it again?

Did it make you think differently about extraterrestrial life?

Best $25m you ever spent?

Charles Simonyi: 1. Yes. 3. Certainly. 2. No change of opinion - human spaceflight is not to get more information - that is best done with other instruments, like better telescopes. Human spaceflight is an exercise in hope - maybe that is what you meant namely that other life-forms have the same hopes as we do and will want to travel.

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Seattle, WA: How long does it take to get into space?

Were you terrified?

What was it like coming back to Earth? Humbling?

Charles Simonyi: Just 8-9 minutes to orbit - that is all the fuel there is in the rocket. I enjoyed it a lot - it was very much like the simulations - I remembered when during one centrifuge simulation after 8 minutes the instructor said on the intercome: welcome to orbit. Now it was the same thing, except for real.

Coming back was sad because I was just getting used to working and living in space. But Earth is a pretty privileged place, too, so I am proud and happy to be here.

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Minneapolis, MN: I wouldn't think going into space is worth the hassle--the training, the suits, sitting on the launchpad--just to be weightless for a while. What's the big deal?

Charles Simonyi: It is not everyone's cup of tea, I guess; there is more to Mona Lisa then the smile, more too opera than the fat lady singing at the end, and more to spaceflight than the weightlessness, but it takes more time to explain. A good topic for the book, though. I think the details of what is happening at each instance, the sights, the noises, the smell (or lack thereof) are all very interesting.

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Yorba Linda, Calif.: Other Microsoft millionaires have put their windfall to work for society - Bill Gates being the prime example. Is supporting the Russian space industry really the best way to spend $25 million?

Charles Simonyi: While not on the same scale as Bill, I also have a philantropic organization for the Arts and Sciences. Of course this is not part of that, but the Russian space program is critical to the US and International space effort (for example the Soyuz is the only lifeboat on the space station) and from time to time the offical support of this effort was difficult so the private contributions were wery welcome on both sides - NASA as well as Russia.

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Berkeley, CA: How would you describe your trip? What were the highlights and low points?

Charles Simonyi: Fantastic, a real "trip". Highlight was the arrival to the station and maybe reading books in orbit. There were no real low points, I was jet lagged on the second day (our sleep schedule was shifted, just like when time zones change after jet travel) and similar things that are normal for any voyage.

During training there were some points where I had a cold, was over-medicated, etc. that were unpleasant and created doubts in my mind if this will work.

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Dallas, TX: I know you were quarantined before you went into space to prevent you from picking up any bugs from your loved ones, but what happens if you get a cold or, worse, the flu in space? Do they send medication up with you to treat various maladies? And is it safe to take in that environment? Or would you have to cut short your trip?

Charles Simonyi: It is very unlikely to get the bugs up there since everything is so clean - we wiped off with 100% alcohol before launch, for example. Nonetheless, there are two giant chests on the station- one Russian and one American - of medicines and medical equipment that we were briefed on. My crewmate Oleg Kotov is an MD, so that was good, too. Medication works pretty much as on the ground - I took some Advil and Metamucil during the two weeks, for example, with the usual effects.