The world's first "space tourist" was today heading towards the International Space Station.
Californian businessman Mr Dennis Tito, 60, made history shortly after 8.30 a.m. Irish time yesterday when a Russian Soyuz rocket blasted off from central Asia under clear blue skies.
The spaceship with Tito strapped inside left a trail of red flame and a vapour tail as it headed above the clouds towards the edge of the Earth's atmosphere before travelling into space, where he and his cosmonaut "guides" became weightless.
The shuttle is due to dock with the International Space Station, although it could take two to three days to arrive.
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