spacetoday.net: Bass, Garver pass medical tests; space tourist selection uncertain

Posted: Thu, May 30, 2002, 2:27 PM ET (1827 GMT)
ISS illustration (NASA)

The two leading candidates to become the next commercial space tourist have passed medical exams, but Russian officials are doubtful that either will be able to fly on the next Soyuz mission this fall. Lance Bass, member of the pop group *NSYNC, and former NASA official Lori Garver both received medical clearances to fly by Russian doctors this week. Both are apparently still attempting to raise the estimated $20 million needed to fly on a Soyuz taxi flight, however. Rosaviakosmos officials cited by Aerospace Daily said that it was "strongly doubtful" that either would make it on the October flight with Russian cosmonaut Sergey Zalyotin and Begian astronaut Frank de Winne. The Aerospace Daily article said that several other space tourist candidates were also under consideration, including Polish entrepreneur Leszek Czarnecki, an unnamed member of the Russian pop group Na-Na, and a previously unidentified person, an Australian named Lilly Craig. A news conference in planned in Moscow for Friday afternoon, organized by Radio Shack, one of Bass's sponsors; both Bass and Garver are scheduled to participate.