Whats more, the experience likely gave him a keen appreciation for the complexity of an ongoing outpost construction project that involves 16 nations and 100,000 workers on four continents.

"I think for anyone who is experiencing space for the first time, its just an overwhelmingly powerful experience," Endeavour mission specialist Scott Parazynski told reporters in a space-to-ground news conference Monday.

"And I think probably for Mr. Tito it was the same sort of sensation just a sense of awe that mankind could construct such a facility in the final frontier. Its such a beautiful sight," the veteran astronaut added.

"Space Station Alpha is beyond my wildest imagination. Its gigantic in size and scope, and I think in the years to come, its going to provide countless benefits for all humanity."

NASA and 14 of its international partners openly opposed Russian plans to launch Tito with two veteran cosmonauts on a mission to deliver a fresh Soyuz lifeboat to the station, claiming that the worlds first space tourist would interfere with critical outpost assembly work.

One of Endeavours astronauts still agrees.

"I dont think this was the best moment to have a non-professional aboard the station," said Italian Umberto Guidoni of the European Space Agency.

And as it turns out, Titos six-day visit to the station largely will be a vacation week for the stations resident crew, which includes Russian commander Yuri Usachev and two American flight engineers: Susan Helms and Jim Voss.

Key tests of the $600 million Canadian robot arm that was erected at the station by Endeavours astronauts are being put off. So is prep work for the scheduled June delivery of an airlock to the outpost.

"For the space station guys, in a sense it will give them a little bit of a break because I know their pace will slow down with a tourist onboard," said shuttle skipper Kent Rominger. "They just cant afford to work 110 percent like they have been with inexperienced people around."

The idea of space tourism, however, is one that the astronauts are enthusiastic about and perhaps, they say, one whose time has come.

"Its exciting that tourists are flying in space, and I think everybody around the world should be excited about that," said Rominger. "And its a great opportunity that at least should be available to anybody that can afford it at this point."

And despite some serious prelaunch haggling between senior NASA officials and their Russian counterparts, Rominger said Titos flight might turn out to be a boon for all involved.

"Its going to generate excitement, and I think that is the way to go," the veteran shuttle mission commander said.

"For space travel, particularly for us at NASA, you know, we get to do more space travel as the nation and the world gets more excited about it. So any way we can create excitement, thats better for all of us."

Made up of astronauts from the U.S., Russia, Canada and Italy, the seven-member Endeavour crew is scheduled to land here at NASAs Kennedy Space Center Tuesday.

The Soyuz crew which includes spaceship commander Talgat Musabayev and flight engineer Yuri Baturin wont be far behind. The trio is scheduled to land next weekend on the arid steppes of central Asia.