Charles Simonyi takes Hungarian language and cuisine into space
13.4.2007 - Sandor Laczko

For the first time in 27 years, a Hungarian language conversation has taken place between a space station and the control centre on Earth. Hungarian-born software mogul and billionaire Charles Simonyi spoke to his brother, Tamás, and the first Hungarian in Space, Bertalan Farkas.

Farkas: "Thanks a lot dear friend, this is Bertalan Farkas..."

The second Hungarian-born man in space, Charles Simonyi, thanked the first Hungarian cosmonaut, Bertalan Farkas, for all his advice and help in a conversation between the International Space Station, orbiting some 320 kilometres, that is, some 200 miles above the surface of the Earth, and the terrestrial control centre in Russia on the evening Central European Time of Monday, April 9th. Bertalan Farkas was the Hungarian participant of the first and only joint Soviet-Hungarian space flight in May 1980 when the he spent nine days aboard the Soviet Salyut 6 space station. Software mogul Charles Simonyi, born in Hungary 58 years ago as Károly Simonyi, the main figure behind the development of Microsoft's Excel and Word programmes, reportedly paid some 22 million US dollars to the Russian space agency to be the 5th space tourist, that is, non-professional cosmonaut. However, Charles Simonyi does not just expect to be a visitor enjoying the view of the Earth and chatting with the crew on board, having paid a lot of money for the opportunity. He is prepared to make several experiments and he also makes measurements with the dosimeter called 'Pille' developed by Hungarian engineers.

More on that from the head of the Hungarian Space Office, Elod Both:

Both: "Especially for me it's an extra pride because we, together with my colleagues in the Hungarian space office could manage that Dr Simonyi could make a Hungarian experiment on board the International Space Station. The Pille instrument has a small crystal in it and this crystal absorbs the ionising radiation which is a health risk for the astronauts. The instrument itself can calculate what was the ionising radiation absorbed by the crystal since the last measurement."

Mr Simonyi, proud of his Hungarian origin, also took with him a Hungarian flag and drawings made by Hungarian children to be signed by crew members on the ISS. However, Charles Simonyi is not just an ordinary Hungarian-American, but also a billionaire, and as such he served aboard the ISS a special dinner prepared - with the help of a chef, of course - by Charles's close friend, American celebrity Martha Stewart. It is not ordinary paprika chicken on the menu but: quail roasted in Madrian wine, duck breast with capers, shredded chicken parmentier, apple fondant pieces, rice pudding with candied fruit and semolina cake with dried apricots.