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American Morning

Bass May Not Go to ISS

Aired September 03, 2002 - 08:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the Russians and Lance Bass are out of sync, apparently. The pop star may not be space bound after all. The Russians have asked Bass to leave Star City. That's home of their cosmonaut training program.
Our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, tracking the latest news on that -- Jill, good afternoon.

Is he gone or not?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's out of Star City, where he was training, and he's apparently some place in Moscow at meetings. But it looks as if Lance Bass is grounded. And the issue is that $20 million, estimated $20 million for a ticket to the international space station.

The deal almost fell apart numerous times and now the Russians are saying that is it, he's been told he's not going to train and he's not flying to the ISS. They say he could not come up with the money and they say, indeed, that he hasn't even turned over one dime or one kopek.

So, they say that October 28 out to the ISS will be a team of two men, a Russian and a Belgian, but in place of Lance Bass will be, of all things, a cargo container.

However, Bill, we just a few minutes ago spoke with Lance Bass' agent, Cindy Owens, and she said it's definitely not over, we are in negotiations and we are confident that Lance Bass is going to fly. And she said we think he'll be back at Star City by the end of the week -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jill, I've got to think, though, the Russian space program is so strapped for cash, he's going to give this every chance possible to try and take the extra $20 million. And if that's the case, there is still the possibility, as you mentioned, that Bass may be going up there, depending on his publicist and what she's hearing right now. But is there a last straw? Is there a time when the Russians say forget about it, we're moving one?

DOUGHERTY: Well, this was a point. It seemed that the Russians had come to that point, and maybe they have. But they're saying, you know, you can't push this on forever because October 28 isn't that far away and you have to train. But they're saying this is it, no more.

HEMMER: Got it.

Thank you, Jill, less than two months away from that flight, end of October.

Thank you.

Jill Dougherty, Moscow bureau chief, from the Russian capital.

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