A British Opera Singer Spent £34 Million To Go To Space

A British opera singer is paying £34 million ($52 million) to spend 10 days at the International Space Station, NASA says.

Sarah Brightman, 54, is going to be part of the Expedition 44 crew. The first of three capsules carrying crew members will launch in May 2015.

NASA writes that Brightman will be a "Spaceflight Participant." She'll fly aboard Russia's Soyuz 44 capsule in October under a commercial agreement between the Russian Federal Space Agency and Space Adventures, Ltd.

The singer is more used to performing on stage than visiting space. Brightman is the world's best selling soprano and starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom Of The Opera." However, her website has a space-age theme and many of her tours and shows are futuristic. In her 2013 concert, one of her songs is called "Venus And Mars."

Now, she's going to become the eight space tourist ever to join astronauts on a trip, Sky News notes. The last was Guy Laliberte, who founded Cirque du Soleil and spent £23 million for 11 nights 260 miles above the Earth.

Brightman is said to have arrived in Russia this week to begin nine months of training to prepare for her adventure. NASA reports the flight will be led by Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka.