Sons of Russian, U.S. astronauts unite in orbit

After 10 days in space Garriott will return to Earth with the ISS's outgoing crew aboard a Soyuz re-entry vehicle, a three-person capsule which has malfunctioned on its last two flights.

In April, a Soyuz capsule landed 420 km (260 miles) off course after explosive bolts failed to detonate before re-entry, sending the craft into a steep descent.

Last year, a Soyuz capsule carrying Malaysia's first astronaut also made a so-called "ballistic" landing, similarly blamed on faulty bolts.

Russian space officials said they had done everything possible to avoid a so-called ballistic entry when Garriott returns to earth.

"We can say with confidence that we have done everything that could possibly be done," Vitaly Davydov, deputy head of Russian Space Agency ROSKOSMOS, was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass news agency.

Born in Cambridge, England, and raised in Texas, Garriott says he dreamed about flying to space since childhood. He made his fortune by creating fantasy computer games such as Ultima.

(Additional reporting by Tatiana Ustinova; Editing by Louise Ireland)