Space tourism : is tourism in which participants pay for flights into space. As of 2010, orbital space tourism opportunities are limited and expensive, with only the Russian Space Agency providing transport. The price for a flight brokered by Space Adventures to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft is US$ 20–35 million. The space tourists usually sign contracts with third parties to conduct certain research while in orbit. This helps to minimize their own expenses. Russia halted orbital space tourism since 2010 due to the increase in the International Space Station crew size, using the seats for expedition crews that would be sold to paying spaceflight participants. However it is planned to resume in 2012, when the number of single-use three-man Soyuz launches rises to five a year. (wikipedia)
Astronaut : An astronaut is a person who pilots a spacecraft or works in space, particularly in the space program of the United States. In Russia and the other former republics of the Soviet Union, such men and women are called cosmonauts. The cosmonaut program was a project of the Soviet Union until the country broke up in 1991. Russia then took over the program. China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003. A Soyuz carries two or three highly specialized cosmonauts. The commander is almost always a military jet pilot, and the flight engineer is almost always a civilian. The flight engineer is usually a member of the staff of the design bureau responsible for the craft. On about half the Soyuz flights, a third cosmonaut, usually called the cosmonaut researcher, is aboard. This person can be a non-Russian "guest cosmonaut" or a Russian physician. (Nasa website)
- so where do our 'so called' astronaut stands? from both statements looks like it is more to guest cosmonaut or space tourist rather than an astronaut. since most of the talks are dedicated to students, particularly in schools maybe no one have ever asked him the differences. how i wish i could ask him this question!
