U.S. space tourist ready to blast-off
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-30 19:45

Olsen is the third non-astronaut to visit the station, preceded by American Dennis Tito four years ago and South African Mark Shuttleworth in 2002.

After blasting off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in the middle of Kazakhstan's barren steppes, the Soyuz TMA-7 capsule will rendezvous in two days with the station, about 250 miles above the Earth. Along with the station's current inhabitants, Russian Sergei Krikalev and American John Phillips, the three will help bring cargo onboard and perform experiments.

Alongside the nearly four dozen scientific experiments to be conducted during Expedition 12 will be at least one commercial shoot: a plug for Japanese noodles. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency is sending a high-definition camera to the station so that a cosmonaut can film a commercial for Nissin Food Products' product, Cup Noodle instant noodles. The commercial is set to air in November.

Phillips and Krikalev, who have been on the station since April, are scheduled to return to Earth along with Olsen on Oct. 11, touching down in Kazakhstan.

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