Moscow Orders Cosmonauts To Resume Training

SPACE TRAVEL

File photo of Russian cosmonaut Talgat Musabayev after landing August 25, 1998. Photo copyright AFP

Moscow (Interfax) March 20, 2001
Russian cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Yuri Baturin, who boycotted training at the U.S. space center in Houston, Texas, on Monday, will receive orders from Moscow to resume training shortly, spokesman for the head of the Russian Aerospace Agency Sergei Gorbunov told Interfax on Tuesday.

"It was an emotional outburst. Russian Aerospace Agency chief Yuri Koptev intends to call NASA chief administrator Dan Goldin today and settle the conflict," he said.

The crew consisting of Russian cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Yuri Baturin and U.S. space tourist Dennis Tito arrived in Houston on Sunday and should have started training on Monday.

However, NASA representatives denied training to Tito, because the agency is categorically opposed to sending the tourist on April 30 as "important assembly work is under way at the International Space Station and the tourist may distract the crew."

In reply, the two Russian crew members, Musabayev and Baturin, on Monday refused to start training and called the Russian Aerospace Agency for an explanation.

Gorbunov said Russia is still determined to stand by its contractual commitments, including Tito's flight.

"The failure of this partly paid contract will mean significant financial losses for Russia. Besides, the NASA suggestion to send European astronaut Thomas Reiter instead of Tito is technically impossible. Reiter will simply be unable to get all the necessary training. There is not enough time to make a personal space suit or seat for him," Gorbunov said.

"Russia, with its enormous experience in preparing flights, guarantees Tito's safe flight on the ISS. The leadership of the Russian Space Agency is determined to bring this attitude home to the NASA leadership," Gorbunov said.

"Cold War" in space as US, Russia scrap over Tito's ISS flight

SPACE TRAVEL

Industrial Action Strikes ISS

Washington - March 19, 2001
It what may be the first astronaut strike since the early 1960s when the original NASA astronauts demanded a window and manual controls for their Mercury spacecraft, a group of Russian cosmonauts bound for the International Space Station have gone "on strike" in support of their comrade Dennis Tito.

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