Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

October 12, 2008

Richard Garriott, perhaps better known to gamers as Ultima series designer Lord British, was launched into space aboard Russia's Soyuz TMA-13 capsule today.

As reported by the BBC, Garriott is heading for the International Space Station, accompanied by a U.S. astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut. Garriott's father, Owen, an American astronaut, was on hand for the launch.

Garriott paid $30 million for the ride, but hopes to recoup much of that amount. Toward that end, he will be conducting experiments, including a protein crystal growth study, aboard the spacecraft

GP: There's probably no truth to the rumor that Garriott will be using his trade skills to craft new, crystal-jeweled space items for Ultima Online. 

Thanks to: Longtime GP reader Chuma for gently reminding me of the launch.

 

Comments

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by Colonel Finn on Mon, 10/13/2008 - 17:52.

 

Can I be the first to say I don't think he's coming back...


________________ Graeme Strachan Square Go Magazine www.square-go.com

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by TaoJeannes on Mon, 10/13/2008 - 08:11.

I wonder if he has any moral compunctions about giving that much money to an increasingly violent rising military dictatorship. 30 million would buy at least a couple tanks to run over Ukranians with.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by HalfShadow on Mon, 10/13/2008 - 16:30.

Or thirty million bags of chips.

Fuck that; I'd go for the chips.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by potatojones83 on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 10:32.

Wish I had an extra 30 million to use for a space vacation. Course if I *did* have that kind of money I'd more than likely use it on something else. Being in space would be undeniably awesome and cool. Screaming, puking and curling up in the fetal position during blast off....not so cool. Seriously, I can barely handle a roller coaster, there is no way I could handle a space ship launch.

Still, it is cool to see ordinary...ummm...well...untrained citizens going into space.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by urutapu on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 13:41.

Don't they at least give you a crash course for this kind of thing?

I mean, two months of working out and a go in the Vomit Comet, at least.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by HalfShadow on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 16:36.

I just hope he burns up on re-entry.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by JustChris on Mon, 10/13/2008 - 11:19.

Meanwhile, Id co-founder John Carmack is still working on own his manned space capsule and rocket for 4 years...at least I think he still is working on it.

GameSnooper

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by VideolandHero on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 18:54.

Way to talk about a video game legend.

 

 

Jerk.

--- Official Protector of Videoland!

--- Official Protector of Videoland!

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by HalfShadow on Mon, 10/13/2008 - 11:39.

Legend? Sure. I have to admit I've never played games that sucked so badly.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by Anomalous on Mon, 10/13/2008 - 05:03.

Legend? Hardly.

Heck, if he burns up in the atmosphere, he'd be a legend for sure.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by SeanB on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 09:49.

Wow, he's going for a while too, and i hadn't heard anything about it. Wonder if this was a last minute decision, or if they decided to keep it out of the media for a reason.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by Amauriel on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 15:22.

I'm on the Tabula Rasa mailing list and I've been hearing about it through e-mails for MONTHS now...

They even had a contest where you could enter to have your DNA sent up along with Stephen Colbert's (Lord British is delivering that on his trip, if I understood correctly).

The fact that Stephen Colbert's DNA was going up was reported on by mainstream news sources enough that the kids at the school I work with were all chattering about it at lunch one day.  In the few articles I read on the subject, it would mention that video game developer Richard Garriott would be the one delivering it, but that's all they touched on from what I could see.

Re: Lord British Rockets into Space - for $30 Million

Submitted by shady8x on Mon, 10/13/2008 - 03:20.

Wait so he is not being held captive for ransom by the russian mafia???

 
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