Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov will accompany him on his trip to the International Space Station. Simonyi will also be the 450th person to enter orbit. Space tourism is increasingly attracting the rich because it is a new frontier to conquer.

These trips to the ISS are being organized by Space Adventures, a US-based company, which is collaborating with the Russian space agency. American Dennis Tito was the first space tourist in 2001 followed by South African Mark Shuttleworth and Greg Olsen last year.

In September 2006, Iranian-born US businesswoman Anousheh Ansari became the first female space tourist. She replaced Japanese businessman Daisuke Enomoto who did not clear his medical tests.

Simonyi has been training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Russia over the last few months. "I am really looking forward to sharing this dinner with my crewmates on the station," Mr. Simonyi said. "Although the food is very good there, it is somewhat basic, and after a couple of weeks everything starts tasting the same. I am certain a little variation will be surely welcome."

He was referring to his option to carry his own food to the ISS. It is by no means an ordinary menu and comprises of quail roasted in Madeira wine, purée of celeriac and nutmeg, duck breast confit with capers and shredded chicken Parmentier.

Semolina cake with apricots, apple fondant and rice pudding with candied fruit complete the mouth-watering array.

It is not all pleasure for Simonyi on the trip as he will also be conducting medical experiments for the European Space Agency. Additionally he will also test high-definition cameras for the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Dr. Simonyi will keep us Earthlings updated on his stay at the ISS through www.charlesinspace.com. He will return to Earth on April 20.
 

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