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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Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am
Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm
Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm
Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm
Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm
Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm
Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm
Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm
Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm
ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm
MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm
Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm
MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am
Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am
quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm
Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm
Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm
Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm
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