Dennis Tito

Dennis Anthony Tito (born August 8, 1940) is an American engineer and businessman. He is known as the first space tourist to fund his own trip into space. In mid-2001, he spent nearly eight days in orbit as a crew member of ISS EP-1, a visiting mission to the International Space Station.
Tito was born in New York City. He studied at New York University and at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.