Singer Sarah Brightman to be next space tourist on Russian spacecraft
August 22, 2012
It was recently announced that Russia and the U.S. will be able to take paying space tourists on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft starting in 2015, according to the Voice of Russia. There will be an astronaut and a cosmonaut taking a 12-month long mission, and the Soyuz will travel back and forth four times.
Thus far, NASA has chosen Peggy Whitson as the astronaut for the 2015 mission. Whitson has completed two space missions and made six spacewalks. She will be joined by as Russian cosmonaut, who has yet to be selected, the media outlet reports. As a result of them staying on the ISS during the duration of the year, empty seats will be available to tourists.
Since talk started to arise about vacant seats to the International Space Station, it has been reported that British singer Sarah Brightman may be the next passenger to take the Russian Rocket to the ISS. According to Reuters, this information can from an unidentified official source form the space industry in Russia.
Brightman is most well known for starring in "The Phantom of the Opera" in both London and then New York. She married composer Andrew Lloyd Webber in the 1980s, and her career soared after they divorced. She has sold millions of records over the years. The 52-year-old famed singer recently traveled to Russia and got the approval from the medical professionals that she could start training at the Cosmonaut Training Centre near Moscow, according to the news source. As long as everything goes well, Brightman will be able to travel to space come 2015.
Russia has sent seven private passengers to the ISS over the years. The last was Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte, who wore a red clown nose, in 2009. The first was American investment manager Dennis Tito in 2001. Those who are willing to pay for a trip up to space will have to dish out around $20 million, the media outlet reports.
The number of private tourists dwindled after NASA retired its space shuttle, leaving only Russian's to be used.
Individuals who want to discuss the possibility of visiting the International Space Station can make calls to Russia using international phone cards.