'Clown' a giant leap in space

Baikonur, Kazakhstan (AFP) - The billionaire founder of Cirque du Soleil blasted off Wednesday aboard a Russian rocket to carry its brand humor and energy into the world freestyle ultra-heavy space. Guy Laliberté, 50, a Canadian citizen, the millions spent by a personal fortune of his two-week visit to the International Space Station (ISS), which could last "space tourist" for several years. He suggested, as is planned from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia, in neighboring Kazakhstan, at 0714 GMT along with a Russian cosmonaut and U.S. astronaut career. Television pictures showed the three crew members waved from the cockpit in the control of the Soyuz spaceship with a toy lion mascot hanging from the ceiling. The Soyuz had reached orbit successfully and allowed by docking with the ISS on Friday at 0835 GMT. Laliberté, takes a former fire-eaters and stiltwalker, nine red clown nose in the room - one for each member of the crew of the ISS - and said he will not abandon its easier once in space. "I'm going with my sense of humor. Even in serious matters, you must leave room for humor," said the Quebec native prior to the mission. He admitted to "tickle" his teammates during practice and has promised to repeat it in orbit when they sleep. Laliberté was decided, 9 October from the ISS during which involve it as the main task of the Presidency of art space in a dozen cities around the world instead, and music will be dance and image. Imagine the event on a poetic history of Laliberté based and written by Canadian author Yann Martel, who wrote the Booker Prize-winning novel "Life of Pi." Laliberté, says his mission is a serious concern - the awareness of the global world water scarcity increases and to promote his foundation, which works to preserve fresh water on Earth for. Despite saying he was initially