Plans are already coming along for the world's first space hotel, and now Russia is planning to send up its first space tourist, in 2009. Five other tourists have already paid (a cool $25 million!) for this honor, but four were from the U.S. and the other from South Africa.

The mystery man (described only as a serious, respectable, and young businessman and politician), is negotiating his ticket through Space Adventures, the company that brokers deals between potential space tourists and the Russian space agency.

The lucky tourist will be delivered to the International Space Station, but there are no reports of scheduled activities beyond that.

Filed under: Europe, Russian Federation