A common question for old-school Apple II celebrities is, “Where are they now?” When that person is Richard Garriott, creator of the Ultima line of computer role-playing games, the answer is “217 miles up.”
On October 12, 2008, Garriott boarded the Soyuz TMA-13 and launched to the International Space Station. The journey makes him the world’s sixth space tourist and its first second-generation astronaut — his father, scientist Owen K. Garriott, flew aboard the Skylab 3 and STS-9 missions in in 1973 and 1986, respectively. The trip cost the younger Garriott approximately $30 million US dollars.
Though he is now out of this world, Garriott has long been known for being of the world of Britannia, the fantastical setting of his Ultima series in which he plays the ruling monarch, Lord British. He returns to Earth on October 23. You can view videos of Garriott’s extraterrestrial adventure and read his blog online at