Still With Stars in His Eyes

Dennis Tito was as true to form Tuesday on Earth as in the heavens: enthusiastic, philosophical and unapologetic about having ruffled some NASA feathers by going into space on a Russian rocket.

Facing reporters at his first full news conference since Sunday’s Soyuz capsule landing in Kazakhstan, the pioneer of space tourism said his eight-day voyage, including six aboard the International Space Station, would prove to be beneficial in the long run for NASA, for U.S.-Russian relations and for the overall cause of space travel.

“ ‘My way’ is that I realized the dream, and my goal was not to have any conflict along the way,” he said.

While not confirming his reported bill of $20 million, the multimillionaire investment advisor from Los Angeles said that it was paid in full to the Russians and that he remains one very satisfied customer.

“If it were available to me, I would have stayed up there for months,” he said.

Tito spoke at the cosmonaut training center in Star City dressed in a light-blue flight suit with an American flag on his left shoulder and his name written in Russian and English on the front. He was seated with his shipmates, flight commander Talgat Musabayev and Yuri Baturin, both of whom vouched for Tito’s usefulness on board.

“Not any rich millionaire could go to outer space like Tito did. . . . One has to have the brains and physical fitness too,” said Musabayev.

Tito said his journey was “a euphoric experience,” one that fulfilled a dream of more than 40 years. “Money is relative,” he said of the cost.

“I spent . . . 60 years on Earth, and I spent eight days in space. And from my viewpoint, it was two separate lives,” he said. “It would take too long to explain the true difference, both physically and emotionally--but I have lived two lives.”

His voice thickened, and he could not continue when he started to explain his most profound moments: his nightly conversations by ham radio with his two sons.

Tito said he had recovered quickly from the physical effects of the flight and had even gone running Tuesday. He also bragged a little about his calmness during the launch, saying his pulse never exceeded 72 beats per minute.

After he returns to the United States on Saturday, he said, he will try to help others who wish to travel into space. He mentioned serving as an intermediary between private capital markets and NASA to help fund special vehicles for civilian space voyages.

Would he invest his own money? “Possibly,” he said.

Tito was unfazed when asked about comments made last week by NASA head Daniel S. Goldin implying that he is not an American patriot.

“With all due respect to Mr. Goldin, I don’t think he is in a position to determine who is an American patriot and who isn’t,” Tito said.

At another point, Tito seemed to be dispensing pop psychology to the people at NASA: “Sometimes changes are difficult,” he said.

Musabayev said he did not understand the fuss NASA raised.

“We feel proud and happy for NASA and its achievements. So why doesn’t NASA take a similar position and feel happy for their partners . . . who achieve some success as well?” he asked.

Asked how he would like to be thought of, Tito reflected.

“I have never been famous, so I have no idea of what it’s going to be like,” he said. “I would like people to see me as a serious man, who had a dream and pursued it in the face of great difficulty, and that, you know, I should be an example to others that they should not live for tomorrow, or the next day. . . . [They should] set goals and wait decades if they have to to achieve the goals. Put in the effort, and it will pay off.”

After returning to the United States, Tito plans to charter a small sailboat and skipper it himself, or maybe with a friend, he said.

“It will be a very inexpensive vacation,” he added. “Maybe a few thousand dollars.”