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Dennis Tito, a 60 year-old investment manager from California, blasted into orbit onboard a Russian Soyuz rocket on 28th April, 2001 - becoming the first ever private citizen to visit the International Space Station.\nHe had self-funded the trip, to the tune of $20 million - much to the displeasure of his former employers, NASA, who initially refused to provide him with any training.\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider the social dynamics of the ISS; explain why NASA has flip-flopped about space tourism over the decades; and explore whether Tito\u2019s trip was, in fact, money well spent\u2026\xa0\n\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018World's first space tourist 10 years on: Dennis Tito\u2019 (BBC News, 2011): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13208329\n\u2022 \u2018First space tourist Dennis Tito: 'It was the greatest moment of my life' (CNN Travel, 2021): https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/space-tourism-20-year-anniversary-scn/index.html\n\u2022 \u2018Dennis Tito on the Late Show\u2019 (CBS, 2001): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZtv6xl0NLc\n#2000s #Explorer #Space #Russia\nFor bonus material and to support the show, visit\xa0Patreon.com/Retrospectors\nWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:\xa0podfollow.com/Retrospectors\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Alexa Weissman.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2022.\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices