The Russian Federal Space Agency has not yet decided whether it will allow a second space tourist to visit the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015, Roscosmos manned space flight program director Alexei Krasnov told journalists on Thursday.
"The mission commander must be a professional. There can be no compromise on that. The other two candidates are still being discussed. We have time to adopt a decision," he said.
British singer Sarah Brightman may become next space tourist
Two ISS crewmembers to remain aboard for one year to make space for tourists
British soprano singer Sarah Brightman could travel as a space tourist to the ISS, taking up the second seat on board a spacecraft, due to take off in October 2015, Krasnov said.
"The third crewmember could be a representative of the European Space Agency or an unprofessional astronaut," he said.
However, if two space tourists are allowed to fly to the ISS in 2015, Russia's Energia Space Rocket Corporation will have to "confirm that such an arrangement is safe," he said.
Roscosmos is expecting Energia's assurances of the safety of this flight, he said.
"The corporation will send us a letter, in which it will say that it can be done given the spaceship's adjustments that we will carry out before 2015," Krasnov said.
Candidates for the October 2015 mission commander will be discussed by Roscosmos on Thursday, he said.
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