2 Decades Later, Dennis Tito Reflects On Historic Spaceflight

Businessman Dennis Tito became the world's first space tourist in 2001, when he launched to the International Space Station on a Russian rocket.

“It was the most euphoric period of my life. I enjoyed every minute of it.”  American businessman Dennis Tito became the world’s first space tourist on April 28, 2001, when he launched to the International Space Station on a Russian rocket.   It was a lifelong dream come true for the space enthusiast, who had once worked as an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.