# Mark Shuttleworth

> South African entrepreneur; second self-funded visitor to the International Space Station

**Wikidata**: [Q227030](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q227030)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Shuttleworth)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mark-shuttleworth

## Summary
Mark Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur and computer scientist who became the second self-funded visitor to the International Space Station in 2002. He is best known as the founder of Canonical Ltd. and the Ubuntu operating system, making him a prominent figure in both the tech industry and space exploration.

## Biography
- Born: 1973-09-18 in Welkom
- Nationality: South Africa
- Education: Bachelor of Science in business science from University of Cape Town (1992-1995), with focus on finance and information technology; attended Western Province Preparatory School, Rondebosch Boys' High School, Diocesan College, and Brooks School
- Known for: Founding Ubuntu Linux and becoming a space tourist
- Employer(s): Canonical Ltd. (chairperson), Thawte Consulting
- Field(s): Computer science, software development, entrepreneurship

## Contributions
Mark Shuttleworth's most significant contribution to technology is founding Canonical Ltd. and creating the Ubuntu operating system, which revolutionized Linux adoption for desktop and server environments. Ubuntu became one of the most popular Linux distributions worldwide, making open-source software accessible to millions of users. Before his space journey, he founded Thawte Consulting, a digital certificate authority that was later acquired by VeriSign. His work in open-source software development has had lasting impact on the technology industry, promoting free and accessible computing solutions. As an early private space traveler aboard Soyuz TM-34 in 2002, he also contributed to the commercialization of space travel, spending over 237 hours in space during his mission to the International Space Station. His dual achievements in technology entrepreneurship and space exploration have made him a symbol of innovation at the intersection of computing and aerospace.

## FAQs
### Q: Did Mark Shuttleworth actually go to space?
A: Yes, Mark Shuttleworth traveled to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz TM-34 in April-May 2002, becoming the second self-funded space tourist and spending over 237 hours in space.

### Q: What is Mark Shuttleworth famous for in technology?
A: He is famous for founding Canonical Ltd. and creating the Ubuntu operating system, which became one of the most widely used Linux distributions worldwide.

### Q: Where did Mark Shuttleworth study?
A: He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business science from the University of Cape Town (1992-1995), with concentrations in finance and information technology, after attending several schools including Western Province Preparatory School and Rondebosch Boys' High School.

## Why They Matter
Mark Shuttleworth represents a unique convergence of technological innovation and space exploration that has shaped both industries. His creation of Ubuntu democratized access to Linux operating systems, making open-source software mainstream and influencing how millions of people interact with computing technology. Ubuntu's success demonstrated that free, community-driven software could compete with proprietary systems, fostering innovation in cloud computing, server infrastructure, and desktop computing. His space flight in 2002 helped establish the precedent for private citizens traveling to space, contributing to the eventual growth of commercial space tourism. The combination of his technical expertise and entrepreneurial vision has influenced the trajectory of open-source software development and shown how individual initiative can drive both technological advancement and space exploration. Without his contributions, the landscape of accessible computing and commercial space travel would look significantly different today.

## Notable For
• Second self-funded visitor to the International Space Station (April-May 2002)
• Founder of Ubuntu Linux and Canonical Ltd.
• First African to travel to space
• Honorary doctorate recipient from The Open University (2010)
• Spent 14,245 minutes in space during his mission

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Mark Shuttleworth was born on September 18, 1973, in Welkom, South Africa. He received his early education at Western Province Preparatory School, Rondebosch Boys' High School, and Diocesan College before attending Brooks School. He pursued higher education at the University of Cape Town from 1992 to 1995, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business science with specializations in finance and information technology.

### Entrepreneurial Career
Shuttleworth founded Thawte Consulting, a digital certificate authority company, which was later acquired by VeriSign. He then established Canonical Ltd., where he serves as chairperson, and developed the Ubuntu operating system, which became one of the most popular Linux distributions globally.

### Space Mission
In April 2002, Shuttleworth became the second self-funded space tourist when he traveled to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz TM-34. His mission lasted from April 25 to May 5, 2002, during which he spent approximately 14,245 minutes in space conducting various experiments and activities.

### Recognition and Achievements
The Open University awarded Shuttleworth an honorary doctorate on September 11, 2010. He holds multiple international identification numbers including ISNI 0000000381674666 and VIAF ID 262228999. His Twitter handle is @sabdfl with over 5,000 followers, and he maintains a personal website at https://www.markshuttleworth.com/.

### Personal Details
Shuttleworth holds citizenship in both South Africa and the United Kingdom. He has resided in South Africa and the Isle of Man. His nickname "Afronaut" reflects his status as the first African to travel to space. He speaks English and has been recognized across multiple languages with Wikipedia articles in 10+ languages.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "Mark Shuttleworth",
  "jobTitle": "Entrepreneur, Computer Scientist, Astronaut",
  "worksFor": [
    {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Canonical Ltd."},
    {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Thawte Consulting"}
  ],
  "nationality": {"@type": "Country", "name": "South Africa"},
  "birthDate": "1973-09-18",
  "birthPlace": "Welkom",
  "alumniOf": [
    {"@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Cape Town"},
    {"@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Brooks School"}
  ],
  "knowsAbout": ["Computer Science", "Software Development", "Space Exploration", "Entrepreneurship"],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q186471",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Shuttleworth"
  ],
  "description": "South African entrepreneur and computer scientist who became the second self-funded visitor to the International Space Station"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardgrant/2013/08/25/it-cost-mark-shuttleworth-more-to-leave-south-africa-than-it-did-to-leave-the-earth/#55dc1bc776c9)
2. [Source](https://code.launchpad.net/~sabdfl)
3. [Source](https://www5.open.ac.uk/students/ceremonies/sites/www.open.ac.uk.students.ceremonies/files/files/Honorary%20graduate%20cumulative%20list(7).xlsx)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Quora
7. [Mark Shuttleworth | World Economic Forum](https://www.weforum.org/people/mark-shuttleworth/)