Russian officials insist Olsen removed from Soyuz flight
Posted: Thu, Jun 24, 2004, 1:18 PM ET (1718 GMT)
Top officials in the Russian Federal Space Agency said Thursday that American businessman and potential space tourist Gregory Olsen would not be able to fly on a Soyuz mission in April 2005, despite reports from the company that brokered the trip that arrangements could be worked out. The Associated Press reported late Thursday that Space Adventures, the space tourism firm that arranged the flight, announced that there was "no certainty" that Olsen would be removed from the flight out of concerns from Russian doctors that he would not be able to handle the g-forces of liftoff. However, on Thursday Anatoly Perminov, head of the Federal Space Agency, said that Olsen would not be able to fly on the Soyuz flight and another person, most likely another Russian professional cosmonaut, would be selected to take his place by the end of June. Ironically, the decision comes as the first commercial space tourist, Dennis Tito, began a ten-day trip to Russia. According to the RIA Novosti news service, Tito plans to "visit and encourage" Olsen during his stay.
Top officials in the Russian Federal Space Agency said Thursday that American businessman and potential space tourist Gregory Olsen would not be able to fly on a Soyuz mission in April 2005, despite reports from the company that brokered the trip that arrangements could be worked out. The Associated Press reported late Thursday that Space Adventures, the space tourism firm that arranged the flight, announced that there was "no certainty" that Olsen would be removed from the flight out of concerns from Russian doctors that he would not be able to handle the g-forces of liftoff. However, on Thursday Anatoly Perminov, head of the Federal Space Agency, said that Olsen would not be able to fly on the Soyuz flight and another person, most likely another Russian professional cosmonaut, would be selected to take his place by the end of June. Ironically, the decision comes as the first commercial space tourist, Dennis Tito, began a ten-day trip to Russia. According to the RIA Novosti news service, Tito plans to "visit and encourage" Olsen during his stay.
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