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Tito To Take Space Taxi To ISS
A US businessman who has paid to be the first space tourist, Dennis Tito, will make his controversial flight to the International Space Station even in the absence of US approval, the Russian Space Agency said Monday. Tito "will travel to the space station no matter what," RSA spokesman Sergei Gorbunov said. "We will guarantee Mr. Tito's safety during the flight." His comments followed a statement by the US National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA) that talks were still under way on whether Tito would be allowed to make the trip. "Until the partners have reached a consensus, we are not able to confirm any of the reports," said Kirsten Larson, a NASA spokeswoman. "We have been talking with all the partners, including the Russians ... Things are not resolved." The NASA remarks contradicted earlier statements from the Russian agency that NASA and the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies had reached an agreement by telephone on the eight-day journey into space. An RSA media official told AFP that RSA chief Yury Koptev and NASA administrator Daniel Goldin had held another telephone conversation later Monday to iron out "technical details" concerning the space flight, scheduled for Saturday. The official insisted that the European, Canadian and Japanese space agencies had agreed to Tito's inclusion in the flight crew. The International Space Station (ISS) is being built with the cooperation of the five agencies. The US agency for several weeks had maintained its objections to Tito, 60, travelling to the space station arguing that it was concerned about his level of training and noting the possible danger to the lives of the professional cosmonauts. The US businessman had paid around 20 million dollars (22 million euros) for the privilege of being taken into orbit aboard a Russian Proton rocket on Saturday. He was to have been taken to Russia's Mir space station, but when that orbiter was brought down to its destruction, he was switched to the new space platform. The ITAR-TASS news agency, quoting "informed sources", said NASA had given its approval after Tito signed two documents pledging not to take legal action against space station officials in the event that he should suffer an accident on board the space station, and to pay for any damage to equipment that he might cause. Tito and the two Russian cosmonauts he plans to accompany, team leader Talgat Musabayev and navigator Yury Baturin, arrived at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan where they were undergoing final preparations. Russian television station ORT showed images of Tito, smiling and apparently fit, as he arrived at the installation with the two Russians. Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express 
Russia Gives Tito A Green Light
Washington - April 19, 2001US commercial astronaut Dennis Tito and his two Russian crew mates will blast off for the Space Station from Baikonur at 07:37 GMT Saturday April 28. Rosaviacosmos, press spokesman Sergey Gorbunov said Dennis Tito will definitely be launched with the next crew to the Station, as planned. The question has been decided.
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