[FPSPACE] Is Tito go for orbit?

[Keith Gottschalk]

>escrow account, to be released to the cash-strapped Russian space authorities 
>the moment he is launched as the first space tourist, but not a millisecond 
>before. 

    Very sensible.  Now wonder he became richer than the rest of us. That's the only way he can ensure that corporations in the red will fly him. & even then, they might say "only if you pay an extra $ XX  can you fly".

   While Energia needs the $$ now, some bank will oan them something against  am excrow account - but not of course at prime rate.

  I think Dan Goldin is 

a) being ungracious to a veteran JPL -  NASA  employee;

b) dog-in-the-manger attitude to "space passengers". How can one  passenger on a passenger jet "endanger" the crew? In any disaster, the worst that can happen is that physical frailty means he will be left behind.  Thie "passenger" has enough technology life skills to appreciate not to touch what you are told not to touch. That like all passengers you are under captain's orders.

   The 1st scheduled airtline passengers in the USA flew in an open cockpit behind the pilot (B-3 on the air mail contract). Commercial tourists should be welcomed as supplementary budget add-ons !