A regular guy dressed in a T-shirt and baseball hat, the American was standing among other guests at a reception after the successful launch of the International Space Stations so-called Service Module.

This, I was told, was Dennis Tito the U.S. millionaire and would-be "space tourist," so I introduced myself and asked for an interview.

"Sure," Tito said with a smile. He handed me his business card and told me to contact him at my convenience.

My first impression: Heres an easy-going guy. Not a wealthy, arrogant snob. Not a "fat cat" who had had all the fun he could on Earth and then decided to fly to space just to experience an adventure that few people could afford.

And to tell the truth, the latter is what I had expected.

Ten years ago, I was a candidate for what then was Russias journalist-in-space program, which eventually was abandoned after a Japanese TV network launched a reporter to the Mir space station for a weeklong visit.

The price to fly: $12 million.

It was a time when the first shoots of a market economy were making their way into the Soviet Union, and the concept of national prestige was giving way to the concept of moneymaking. The Japanese paid the going rate and their TV reporter flew in space while the Soviet journalists remained on Earth.

Dennis Tito working in his room at the Star City prophilactorium.