Is it gross for billionaires to spend millions of dollars to fly in space?

Charles Simonyi (Hungarian: Simonyi Károly; born September 10, 1948, Budapest) is a computer software executive who, as head of Microsoft's application software group, oversaw the creation of Microsoft's flagship office applications. He now heads his own company, Intentional Software, with the aim of developing and marketing his concept of Intentional programming. His estimated worth is $1 billion dollars.

In 2007, he became the fifth space tourist and the second Hungarian in space. He paid $25 million dollars for the 13-day space trip.

I can appreciate why many people like him would pay that kind of money for the privilege of being in space if they had that kind of money to go up in space. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience but I seriously question their ethics. Do they have any idea as to how many children’s lives in Africa they can save with $25 million dollars?

For example, hundreds of children are dying of starvation in feeding centres every day in Niger, the Congo, Sudan, Burundi and Uganda where millions of people face severe food shortages. As little as $100 will provide $800 worth of life-saving food. Imagine how many lives would have been saved if Simonyi donated $25 million dollars towards life-saving food for these unfortunate starving people. Think how many of these people died because he chose to spend his money on his thirteen-day vacation in space.

I am sure that he is donating money to worthwhile causes but to then spend $25 million for a thirteen-day vacation in space when so many children are dying is gross.