Goldin Plans To Snub Koptev Conference Over Tito Flight To ISS

STATION NEWS

Late News Russia Sets Time For Tito's Launch
Goldin Plans To Snub Koptev Conference Over Tito Flight To ISS

File photo: NASA administrator Daniel Goldin (L) and Director General of Russian Aviation-Space Agency (RAKA) Yuri Koptev (R) gesture speaking with journalists during the press conference in RAKA office, 13 July, 2000. The press conference was devoted to the successful launch of International Space Station service module Zvezda. AFP photo by Sergey Chirikov

Washington - April 19, 2001
A telephone hookup between senior Russian and American space officials to air concerns over Russian plans to send a wealthy tourist to the Space Station appears to be off again.

Already postponed twice, NASA Director Dan Goldin told reporters Thursday he had no plans to discuss the issue with Russian space boss Yuri Koptev on Friday.

Meanwhile, Tito is training according to schedule, the Russian agency's press service said. He and two Russian cosmonauts would fly to the ISS aboard a spaceship of the Soyuz TM class, to be taken into space by a Soyuz-U carrier rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Russian space experts say tourist flights to the ISS are inevitable and that all the countries involved in the ISS project should have a single official position on them. All these countries have repeatedly discussed the problem.

On Tuesday, Tito, crew commander Talgat Musabayev and flight engineer Yuri Baturin were at Baikonur training onboard the ship that would take them to the ISS.

The three are to return to Star City near Moscow on Wednesday for their final preparation period, which includes medical tests and work on a scientific research plan.

They will leave for Baikonur on April 23.

Meanwhile the current Soyuz parked at the station has redocked after undocking Wednesday. The Soyuz, piloted by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachyov, flew around the station before manual docking. James Voss and Susan Helms of the United States are crew members on the flight.

The re-docking was needed to make the axial docking unit available for a Soyuz TM-32 that will take off from Baikonur on April 28 to deliver a new Soyuz emergency crew return vehicle to ISS.

Interfax correspondents in Moscow contributed to this report

STATION NEWS

Delayed Funding Could Torpedo Russia's ISS Contribution

Moscow (Interfax) April 15, 2001
Delays with state funding may prevent Russia from meeting its obligations in building the Space Station, a senior official has said.

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