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01 Oct 2009 Cirque du soleil founder takes off
| | | Cirque du soleil's Guy Laliberte ready for take off | |
01 OCT 2009: Cirque du soleil founder and Canada's first space tourist, Guy Laliberte may have already paid $35 million for the pleasure of spending 12 days in orbit, but Canadian astronaut Bob Thirsk, waiting to greet him at the international space station wants him to bleed a little bit more.
Laliberte, who blasted off early Wednesday aboard a Russian spacecraft, is expected to take part in some scientific experiments while visiting the International Space Station. Those include giving up as much blood as possible for research purposes.
``I asked Guy, 'Look, we've only had eight Canadians (in space), you're number nine,''' said CSA boss Steve MacLean.
``'We'd like to take as much blood out of you as we can'. . . I don't know the details there, but I know that Guy was quite willing to participate in all of that.''
The fun part
Laliberte rocketed his way into becoming Canada's first space tourist from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
He gave the cabin's in-flight camera a double thumbs up just minutes into the flight and told ground control he felt ``super.''
Before the rocket lifted off, the Quebec tycoon said he was determined to play the clown as much as possible while in zero gravity, and he actually took along a few red noses to share with his astronaut friends.
Laliberte is travelling with Russian cosmonaut Maxim Surayev and American astronaut Jeffrey Williams. It will take two days to reach the space station.
While Laliberte will stay at the orbiting laboratory for nine days, Surayev and Williams will remain until March.
The entertainer's presence seemed to lighten the mood of the typically low-key pre-launch activities.
Prior to leaving for the launch pad, the three travelling companions signed the doors of the rooms they stayed in at the cosmonaut hotel and received a traditional blessing from a Russian orthodox priest.
The jovial crew then sang strains of the pop song ``Mammy Blue'' as they picked their way through a raucous crowd who cheered and wished them ``Bon voyage.''
Among the supporters were Laliberte's partner, former model Claudia Barilla, (wearing a yellow clown nose) and the Quebec singing star Garou.
At one point Laliberte donned his trademark red clown nose, blew kisses to his supporters and held both hands over his heart in a mime's show of affection.
``I'm very happy for him. It's amazing,'' said Barilla, tears streaming down her face as she cradled her youngest son. ``Now we know he's up there.''
Rags to riches
Laliberte started out as a street performer. Over the years the founding of his innovative entertainment empire Cirque du soleil, saw him rise to an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion.
While the trip to the space station is costing him $35 million, Laliberte said it is the biggest adventure he has ever embarked on.
He had to train for five months at Star City, outside Moscow, to prepare for what he calls his ``poetic social mission.''
A serious side
Laliberte will use his cosmic voyage to shine a spotlight on the world's dwindling water supply.
The tycoon has planned a global broadcast from the space station October 9 for the One Drop foundation, an organization he set up in 2007. The performance will be a cross between a concert and a poetry reading for the Earth's population.
Former US vice president Al Gore and Colombian pop star Shakira are among the big names expected to add their voices to the broadcast which will be streamed on the foundation's website.
Space history
With thousands of space buffs watching for his antics in zero gravity, Laliberte's trek leaves a colourful mark on Canada's space history.
``It's opening up space to Canadians other than the professional astronauts,'' said Chris Gainor, a space historian who has written several books on the country's efforts in orbit.
Laliberte, however, may be the last space tourist to go into orbit for a while..
With the US space shuttle program winding down in 2010, Russian rockets will be the only vehicles available to transport astronauts to and from the space station. Seats for paying civilians will consequently be limited.
Still, Laliberte's trip is sure to be memorable, said Gainor.
``Laliberte is a bit more of a character than a lot of people who've gone up,'' he said. ``It will be an interesting episode.''
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