Spaceflight

US company Space Adventures, which has taken bookings from three space tourists for flights aboard Russian Soyuz TMA spacecraft in 2004-5, may purchase a Soyuz craft which could be ready to fly in 2005-6. The tourist missions include one for a standard International Space Station crew changeover flight accompanied by a commander and flight engineer, and another for a Soyuz flying solo in Earth orbit carrying two tourists and a commander. The Space Adventures vehicle would be used for independent orbital flights.