Olsen trip back on?

The space tourism business, as usual, is generating intrigue and rumor.
This AP article contains claims that Olsen is still slated to go into
space, countering earlier reports that he had been rejected for medical
reasons. Now that I think of it, there was also an earlier report that
Olsen's Russian skills were lousy, and that he was having a hard time
with the language. But heck, who has studied Russian who did not have
difficulty? I have studied a couple languages, but when I hear people
speak them it is mostly jabber, and I get a word here and there. If
comprehension is the goal, it is incredibly hard to do. KB
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Official Denies Space Tourist Was Rejected by Russians
By Associated Press posted: 11:05 pm ET 23 June 2004

MOSCOW (AP) _ A spokesman for the company arranging aspiring U.S. space
tourist Gregory Olsen's ride on a Russian spacecraft on Wednesday denied
reports that the trip was off because of Olsen's health problems.

Earlier, the Interfax news agency cited an unnamed official at Russia's
cosmonaut training center as saying that Olsen, who has been at the
center since April, was rejected for health reasons.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press, Space Adventures spokesman
Robert Volmer said that recent medical evaluations raised concerns that
Olsen "may have a medical condition that could potentially prevent him
from participating as a cosmonaut in the Russian space program.

"At this point in time, there is no certainty that this potential
condition will preclude Dr. Olsen from his orbital mission to the
international space station."

Olsen hopes to blast off next spring aboard a Russian Soyuz space capsule
for the space station in a US$20 million trip organized through Space
Adventures.

Mary-Kate or Ashley?

Richard.Glueck wrote:
Mary-Kate or Ashley?

Jimmy.
--
Gordon Davie
Edinburgh, Scotland

"Slipped the surly bonds of Earth...to touch the face of God"