spacetoday.net: Russia proposes lunar space tourist flight

Updated: Wed, Jul 27, 2005, 10:01 AM ET (1401 GMT)
Originally Posted: Wed, Jul 27, 2005, 7:20 AM ET (1120 GMT)
The Russian space agency Roskosmos and aerospace company Energia have proposed flying a Soyuz mission around the Moon if they are able to find a passenger willing to pay $100 million for the flight. Under the plan, a cosmonaut and tourist, after spending a week at the ISS, would fly a Soyuz spacecraft around the Moon and return to Earth. The mission plan is similar to one proposed last year by a US company, Constellation Services International (CSI). Russian officials said that they have all the technology they need for the flight, but would require 18-24 months to manufacture the hardware needed for the mission. The flight would be paid for by the tourist's $100-million fee, with some of that funding going to support the development of Kilper, Russia's successor to Soyuz.