Like Father, Like Son

The son of an astronaut buys his way into a space flight becoming the first father-son astronaut team:

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan — American computer game designer Richard Garriott reached space Sunday aboard a Russian rocket, fulfilling a long-deferred childhood dream as his astronaut father watched with pride.

The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft carrying Garriott and two crewmates hurtled into a clear blue sky from the Baikonur facility on the Kazakh steppe as family, friends and colleagues cheered. Garriott, a 47-year-old multimillionaire from Austin, Texas, is the sixth paying space traveler and the first American to follow a parent into orbit.

"This is so cool, this is so cool," said Garriott's girlfriend, Kelly Miller, watching the Soyuz soar away.

As the bright orange glow of the rocket disappeared in the distance, Garriott's 77-year old father serenely studied the sky with binoculars, urging caution before receiving confirmation the spacecraft had reached orbit safely.

"I'm elated, elated," Owen Garriott said when that confirmation came over a loudspeaker, about 10 minutes after the rocket lifted off on schedule at 1:01 p.m. (0701 GMT). He smiled and embraced Richard's older brother, Robert.

Miller and Garriott's mother, Eve, shed tears of joy and relief at the successful launch.

The son wanted to join his dad as an astronaut but didn't have good enough eyesight. He still found a way - good for him.

Father Owen flew two missions, one aboard Skylab and one aboard the Spacelab.