CLOWN FIRED INTO ORBIT.

A CLOWN was blasted into space for the first time yesterday.

Billionaire Guy Laliberte was cheered by supporters wearing red noses before taking off from Kazakhstan.

The founder of the Cirque du Soleil hitched a ride with an American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut on a Soyuz rocket trip to the International Space Station.

As father-of-five Laliberte, 50, emerged after last-minute checks, he blew kisses to supporters and held both hands over his heart.

Among those cheering was Laliberte's partner, former model Claudia Barilla. While on board, he has promised to tickle station crew members as they sleep and to help publicise the world's growing shortage of clean water.

Canadian Laliberte, who paid around pounds 22million for his space flight, is due to return to Earth in 12 days.

CAPTION(S):

TAKE-OFF: Laliberte