2009 will be the last year for space tourism to the ISS. After the station crew grows to six, there will be no room for tourists, said Roscosmos chief Anatoly Perminov. The article recalls all who have already been to orbit for a lot of money, and notes that Charles Simonyi may become the first space tourist to fly a second time. There is still hope for future travelers, private companies are already preparing to offer new space tourism services.

2009 will be the last year in the history of space tourism to the ISS. This was stated by the head of Roscosmos, Anatoly Perminov. "The ISS crew, as you know, will be increased to 6 people this year. Therefore, there are no opportunities to carry out tourist flights to the station after 2009," Perminov explained to journalists. The ISS is already actively preparing for the upcoming increase in the number of cosmonauts: in December 2008, another living module, a second toilet, and an exercise device were delivered into orbit.
As a reminder, the first space tourist was American Dennis Tito, who went into space in 2001. The next tourist was South African Mark Shuttleworth (2002). In 2005, American Gregory Olsen went into orbit, and in 2006 the first female tourist, American of Iranian origin Anousheh Ansari, flew to the station.
Each of them paid about 20 million dollars for the flight. American of Hungarian origin Charles Simonyi, who visited the ISS in April 2007, paid 5 million dollars more. For 12 days, he carried out several experiments at NASA's request. In particular, he studied how radiation affects a living organism.
In October 2008, the sixth space tourist, Richard Garriott, flew to the station. He paid 30 million dollars to realize his childhood dream.
This winter, doctors gave Charles Simonyi permission to go into space again. If no force majeure circumstances occur, the flight will take place in March of this year, and Simonyi will become the first space tourist to fly into space twice.
The last tourist to visit the station was supposed to be State Duma deputy Vladimir Gruzdev. His flight was planned for the fall of 2009. Instead of him, however, a Kazakh cosmonaut will go into space, with the flight paid for by the government of Kazakhstan. After that, tourist flights into space will end.
Those wishing to visit space, however, should not despair. At present, private companies are gaining momentum, and they are ready to provide space tourism services in the future.