SPACE.com: You've become an international celebrity as a result of your personal desire to fly in space. How has that affected you?

Tito: It is something that I really have not thought about before the fact. I think that the most important aspect of the visibility that I have is that it should give me a certain degree of influence over the future of commercialization of space, which I believe in. To the extent that I can promote something that I believe in and be a positive influence in the future, gives me great satisfaction.

I expected a certain amount of attention and excitement for the flight. But I had no idea it would be this significant. And ironically, the position that NASA has taken has actually increased the attention and created more excitement. I don't know if that was NASA's goal, but they might actually be helping themselves inadvertently by causing all this public interest.

Tito: Sometimes it takes a long, long time to achieve your goals. Most young people, if you ask them, would say yes, they would love to go to space. And they would expect that sometime in their lives they will have such an opportunity.

"America is much more controlled and there is a lot of effort put into protecting people from themselves.... Russia is not nearly as regulated and paternalistic."
     

Tito: It's hard to say, but a lot of interest has developed in other individuals that might be able to afford spaceflight. We will see a lot of other people, private individuals training and flying in space. Eventually, the capital will be available to provide alternative vehicles and space stations to meet these market demands. And to the extent that you have a non-governmental or private passion at core, it should significantly increase the number of people going into space. When private individuals start to go, we will learn a lot more about space from a human cultural standpoint than we know now from professional astronauts that are just trained in the field of aeronautics and astronautics.

Tito: I certainly will be involved in the Soyuz part of the mission, assisting the commander. I don't think there are any specific medical experiments other than probably another data point for someone at the high end of the age scale.

Tito: I think I'll do both. I think I will offer a set of hands, and I am a person who has a lot of engineering experience and two degrees in aerospace engineering, and a lot of training. If assistance is needed, in changing a canister or something else, I'll certainly be available for that, although I don't expect that I'll be asked.

As far as staying out of people's way and not causing them difficulties, I've made a very strong effort to learn all about the systems that I'll be using on the station, such as the food and waste management system, the photographic equipment and hand radio. I will not have to ask many questions.

Tito: I think [my trip is] going to be great for U.S. and Russian relations. There is so much that is very positive about my experience of dealing with the Russians. I think that a lot of Americans still have somewhat of a Cold War mentality, and they don't really understand what Russia is all about.

I hope I can communicate that as well as play a role in opening up commercial space for individuals -- which I think is going to have to involve Russia. I don't see it even beginning to happen for a long, long time in America.

Tito: I think the most difficult for me was training for eight months and not knowing for sure whether I would fly or not. It took a lot of perseverance to say, "I will be spending all this time in very different living conditions than I am used to, away from my family, away from my business, not having much of a social life, working very hard without knowing for sure whether I was going to fly or not." It is different when you know you are going to fly. Then you say, "I'm going put in that time." But there was an uncertainty that was probably the most difficult aspect of the training.

Tito: There was a question at one point whether an attempt would be made to force me to move to the October 2001 "taxi" flight. And my feeling was if that decision was made beyond my control, that was unacceptable because that is not in my contract. I have not made time available in my schedule to accommodate a slip of another six months.

Tito: I'll answer that another way. Fifteen years ago was the beginning of the "Civilian in Space" program with the inclusion of Christa McAuliffe in the Challenger crew. As a result of the Challenger tragedy, that effort was canceled and I think it is possibly a factor even today why NASA is uncomfortable with a civilian in space.

Tito: No, I NASA does not need the money. But NASA should resurrect the "Civilian in Space" program and offer civilians opportunities to fly as a sixth or seventh crew member at the government's expense. NASA should select these people on the basis of what they can contribute to our culture. That includes a wide range of people who have communication skills, arts and so forth.

Tito: I don't think it will be primarily political. I think it will be business in commercial space.

Tito: I don't think sending humans to the Moon and Mars makes a lot of sense at this point. From what is required for life support systems and expenses, it makes much more sense to explore the solar system, and particularly Mars, robotically.

I would not be surprised if the economics of sending humans to Mars is such that it may not happen within next few years.

Tito: America is much more controlled and there is a lot of effort put into protecting people from themselves. There are rules not only about safety for space flying, but for job activities, smoking, labeling of alcoholic beverages and so forth. Russia is not nearly as regulated and paternalistic.

So, in a sense, there is a lot more freedom here to do certain kinds of things. And it is like being in a young capitalistic country. It is very exciting to look at the future here in Russia. I know it does not look good to a lot of people here but I think that we are going to see a lot of economic success over the next several decades. It's not going to occur in one year, but eventually this free market attitude is going to create a lot of economic benefits to this country.