Lance Bass van 'N Sync zijn droom gaat niet door
Lance Bass goes in space
by Mark Armstrong Feb 20, 2002, 1:45 PM PT
Lance Bass is about to say bye, bye, bye to Earth.
No, he's not being called back to the mothership. The enterprising 'N Sync member, having already formed his own production company (A Happy Place) his own management firm (Free Lance Entertainment) and starred in his own film (On the line), is taking the next obvious step for a multiplatinum pop star: He's attempting to become the youngest person ever to travel into space.
Bass confirmed Wednesday he's in talks with Amsterdam-based space company MirCorp to take a Soyuz taxi mission from Russia to the International Space Station in November 2002.
"I am completely overwhelmed at the invitation," Bass said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to completing this lifelong dream. I am honored and privileged to represent my country in this history-making mission."
The 22-year-old popster--whose only experience is having attended Space Camp at age 12--will undergo five to six months of pre-flight training starting in May at a high-security base in Star City, Russia, outside of Moscow. His progress will be documented by L.A.-based Destiny Productions for a potential fall or midseason TV special called Celebrity Mission: Lance Bass.
While it may be surprising that Bass was first to jump at the opportunity (who were you expecting, Michael Jackson?), it was just a matter of time before Hollywood got involved in space travel. With trips costing an estimated $20 million a pop, MirCorp has already helped arrange flights for two other private citizens: U.S. millionaire Dennis Tito, who flew to the space station last year, and South African Mark Shuttleworth, who's due to take off this spring.
MirCorp also previously teamed up with NBC and Survivor producer Mark Burnett to create Destination Mir, a Survivor-style show in which contestants were to compete for a trip to the Russian space station Mir. There was, however, one teensy problem: Russia decided to bring down the rickety, 14-year-old Mir last year.
Destiny Productions, meanwhile, has produced a similar space-camp show in Denmark called The Big Mission. Destiny president David Krieff says the company aims to bring the series to the U.S., starting with the Lance Bass special followed by a series featuring regular contestants.
"Apparently, Lance was just in love with going into space. He went to space camp, we talked, and the guy is totally passionate," Krieff tells E! Online. He adds that the company is currently in talks with several networks and sponsors. And logistically, he says, "It's really just a matter of money."
Interestingly enough, Wednesday's announcement falls on February 20, 2002--the 40th anniversary of John Glenn's first flight into space. (Of course, they could have also announced the news on January 31--the 41st anniversary of Ham the chimp's first trip into orbit. But we digress.)
If the trip requires five or six months of training at a high-security base, no telling what the rest of 'N Sync will be doing during that time.
Meantime, Bass and his Earth-bound comrades will be performing Sunday at the closing ceremonies for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
For those still scratching their heads over Lance Bass plans to become the youngest space traveler ever, you're not alone.
A spokesman for Russia's space agency, Rosaviakosmos, said Thursday that they haven't started any talks with Netherlands-based MirCorp about sending the ‘N Syncer into space..
And while it's entirely possible Bass could still realize his $25 million Rocket Man dream, the pop star's announcement "is as if I said I had bought Australia," Rosaviakosmos spokesman Sergei Gorbunov tells Reuters. "MirCorp has no right to sell these flights. They have no link to Rosaviakosmos, we have no contract linking us."
They may think it's gonna be a long, long time before Bass nabs a coveted seat on a Soyuz taxi mission to the International Space Station. But Bass' publicists and MirCorp remained optimistic Thursday that the 22-year-old would be able to work out a deal getting him a spot on the November flight--despite competition from other potential candidates.
"MirCorp and Destiny productions are confident that with their proposal, Lance Bass will have this slot," MirCorp vice chairman Walt Anderson said in a statement.
As part of the agreement with MirCorp, Bass and L.A.-based Destiny Productions are hoping to document the flight--as well as five to six months of pre-flight training in Russia--for a TV special titled Celebrity Mission: Lance Bass.
"MirCorp has the most experience in commercial space activities with the Russians," Anderson added. "MirCorp is partners with RSC Energia, which builds the manned launch vehicles. MirCorp and Destiny stand by their invitation for Lance to be a part of this historical event."
Destiny Productions president David Krieff also seemed optimistic about Bass's chances, saying Wednesday "it's really only a matter of money."
But Russia's space agency said it's not so simple.
"We are not a shop selling flights," Gorbunov said. "There is a hard preparation process and it is not just about coming up and buying a flight. And I'm not even talking about the agreements it is necessary to reach with our partners."
Russia has welcomed private citizens onto its flights, part of an attempt to bring in extra cash and solve some of its budget problems. MirCorp was involved in early preparations to send U.S. millionaire Dennis Tito to the space station last year, but the final deal ended up getting worked out by the Virginia-based Space Adventures. That company also is behind a trip this spring by South African businessman Mark Shuttleworth.
Russian Space Chief Yuri Koptev said Wednesday there is still an open spot on the November Soyuz mission, and they are looking for potential passengers. But the Rosaviakosmos spokesman told Reuters that the current frontrunner in the race is not Bass--but Polish businessman Leszek Czarnecki. (Yeah, but how many platinum records does he have?)
Gorbunov says Czarnecki's trip also must be approved by Russia's International Space Station partners, which includes NASA and more than a dozen other countries.
Meanwhile, according to Space.com, a NASA spokesman said the U.S. agency wouldn't oppose the Bass trip, as long as he met all the medical and physical requirements recently agreed upon by the Space Station partners.
So, in other words, cut down on those Chili's babyback ribs, Lance--there may still be hope.
'N Sync's Bass Qualified for Spaceby Josh Grossberg May 29, 2002, 1:45 PM PTIt looks like Lance Bass has the right stuff to travel into space. But the big question is, will he actually get to go?
While a Hollywood producer backing the pop star's bid to become the first entertainer in orbit says Bass has qualified for the rigorous trip, a spokesman for Russia's space program says the 23-year-old singer's name isn’t even in the running to climb aboard the next mission, according to wire reports.
"The Russian Aerospace Agency has had no contacts whatsoever with Mr. Bass," agency spokesman Konstantin Kreidenko told the Associated Press. "We have received no requests from either him or his representatives about signing any contracts."
On Tuesday, Destiny Productions, the company that's funding the 'N Syncer's space adventure, confirmed it received word that he has passed the battery of medical exams necessary to qualify him for a seat on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, scheduled to blast off in October for a resupply mission to the International Space Station.
"He's in top physical condition, top mental condition," Destiny president David Krieff told Reuters. "He's doing great with everything."
Not bad for a guy who just two weeks earlier underwent a physical procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat that's been plaguing him since childhood.
After wrapping up his latest trek with his fellow band members, the 'N Syncer opted for the operation so he would be able to continue medical and fitness tests at Moscow's Institute of Biomedical Problems--Russia's top space medicine facility. Testing included time spent in a pressurized chamber and a centrifugal force machine.
Krieff said that there may be a special ceremony next Wednesday "where he'll be even more formally certified."
Bass is reportedly vying for the highly coveted spot along with a former NASA official, Lori Garver--who's also considered a long shot for the next Russian launch.
Besides the fact that the Russian Aerospace Agency hasn't decided yet whether it'll even take a space tourist on its next Soyuz resupply mission, Kreidenko shot down talk that anyone is even close to scoring a seat.
"Anyone has the right to undergo tests in the Institute of Biomedical Problems," he said. "But that doesn't mean that such person is considered to be a candidate for space flight."
Then there's the complex contract issues and the $20 million he and his management have to cough up in order to secure their ticket to ride.
If Bass can say bye, bye, bye to Earth, he would become the world's third cosmic hitchhiker, just behind millionaires Dennis Tito and South African Mark Shuttleworth, who were the first and second space tourists, respectively.
According to Krieff, things couldn't be going more smoothly for Bass, who's slated to start space-flight training next Monday at the cosmonaut training center in Russia's Star City. Training could last up to five or six months.
While that might be bad news for 'N Sync fans hoping to catch them out on the road this summer, it's good news for Destiny, which is sponsoring Bass in the hopes of documenting his experiences for a series of television specials that it hopes to air on a major U.S. network. Destiny has already produced a similar space-camp show called The Big Mission in Denmark
Russians: Bass a Space Comradeby Mark Armstrong Jul 17, 2002, 10:40 AM PTSure, Lance Bass still has to plunge into the Black Sea and fend off wolves in the Russian forest--but after months of talks, Russia's space agency has finally said da to having the 'N Syncer aboard its upcoming space flight.
The Russian Aviation and Space Agency has formally named the 23-year-old popster the prospective third crew member for an October Soyuz flight to the International Space Station, according to a letter sent to NASA and other nation-partners.
If all goes as planned, Bass would join professional cosmonauts Sergei Zalyotin of Russia and Frank De Winne of Belgium on a 10-day trip to the space station--making Bass the youngest person (and first boy band member) to ever go into orbit.
"We have been told that the Russians have submitted the letter," confirms NASA spokesman Mike Braukus.
The news appears to put Bass one giant step closer to fulfilling his childhood dream of going into space--not to mention one production company's dreams of turning his experience into a TV special. (Beat that, Ozzy.)
However, there are still plenty of hoops to go through before Bass can officially pop into space: For one thing, the Russians' proposal must be reviewed and okayed by a board of international space partners. The group, known as the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel, is meeting to discuss the issue this week in Quebec.
Bass has not yet signed any contracts with the Russians, but there's talk that a deal could be finalized as early as today. The popster's camp would need to cough up a reported $20 million for his seat on the flight, but negotiations were said to be moving along smoothly.
The ultimate hope is to turn Bass' experience into a TV special, tentatively titled Celebrity Mission: Lance Bass, and use corporate sponsors to foot the bill for Bass' rocket ride. Los Angeles-based Destiny Productions did not immediately return a call for comment, but the company is reportedly working to secure a deal with a network and sponsors.
Perhaps most challenging of all is that Bass also must complete his four-month crash-course training program in Star City, Russia. To prepare for the flight, Bass will be dropped into the Black Sea (in case his space capsule lands in water) and left in the Russian forest without food or supplies. While there, he'll also have to fend off wolves and build his own shelter. Then there's the task of learning to speak Russian and finishing courses in space-flight theory and flight control.
Making matters more difficult: This kind of training usually take six months to complete. So the guy's got his hands full.
Spacey Bass Signs with Russiansby Mark Armstrong Jul 23, 2002, 3:30 PM PTFor those of you hoping Nick Carter might sneak into the space race at the last minute, it's looking less and less likely.
What initially seemed like a pop star's delusional space fantasy is looking more like a genuine effort to make history, as 'N Sync's Lance Bass has signed an initial contract with Russia's space agency to join an October Soyuz flight to the International Space Station.
"Lance Bass has signed a preliminary contract, he is officially a candidate," a spokesman for Russia's Rosaviakosmos confirmed to Reuters. "Whether he actually flies or not is a question that will be decided in the near future."
Bass begins his training this week in Russia, but there are still several obstacles for the 23-year-old popster to hurdle before getting the final go-ahead. Last week, NASA raised concerns about Bass' education level and his fluency of the Russian language. NASA officials asked for a review of Bass' medical background and more information about what he planned to accomplish while at the station, and they also reportedly questioned whether Bass' mission (which is being eyed for a reality series) will disrupt other work going on in space.
Bass' trip still must be approved by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel, a board of international space partners. But Russian space officials say they're confident the 'N Syncer (who must fork over a reported $20 million for a seat on the mission) is qualified and ready for the flight.
"Within a week he will begin training, and he should be able to cover enough ground," the spokesman told Reuters, adding that Bass will learn the "necessary words" to communicate in Russian.
While earlier reports stated that Bass' training would drop him into the Black Sea and into a wolf-infested Russian forest to test his survival skills, another Russian expert claims Bass only really needs a few simple directions.
"All he needs to know is how to put his suit on and what not to touch," said Igor Marinin of the journal Novosti Kosmonavtiki. "We could even train a monkey to do this--in less time than that."
Sure, but what about a Monkee?
Either way, Bass is certainly getting props these days as the most ambitious member of his chart-topping group. Sure, Justin Timberlake's been secretly recording a solo album, and Joey Fatone is starring onstage in Rent...but Bass is training to go into friggin' space. JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick might just have to run for office to beat that one. (Please guys, don't get any ideas.)
If he pulls it off, Bass will become the youngest person to ever go into orbit, and only the third cash-wielding tourist--behind U.S. millionaire Dennis Tito and South African Mark Shuttleworth--to do so.
Bass Space Mission 'N Trouble?by Josh Grossberg Aug 7, 2002, 2:35 PM PTBass' dream of being an astronaut may be going bye bye bye.
Russia's space agency says it might eject the 'N Syncer from its October mission to the International Space Station if he doesn't come up with the fare ASAP. The going price for a seat on the Soyuz rocket: about $20 million.
"There are a number of deadlines for the installments to be paid, but the first part has already been delayed. Theoretically, we can already dissolve the contract," Rosaviakosmos spokesman Sergei Gorbunov tells Reuters.
Bass' star trek was supposed to be bankrolled by a consortium of investors led by the Los Angeles-based Destiny Productions--which plans to document the 23-year-old popster's training and liftoff for a TV special called Celebrity Mission: Lance Bass, but so far, says Gorbunov, Russian officials have been stiffed.
"His backers have sent us a letter asking us to set back the deadline to August 9," Gorbunov tells the news service. "If they do not pay up on the 9th, I don't know what will happen. Maybe we will follow their wishes again, and wait again. But we cannot wait forever."
Gorbunov says the Russians require timely payments to maintain its rocket fleet and help fund its missions. Such a delay in payment, he says, could force officials to scrap Bass' much-hyped flight.
Calls to Destiny Productions seeking comment about the delay in payments were not immediately returned.
The news comes a little over two weeks after Bass signed a preliminary contract with the space agency. He is currently in Russia's Star City, outside Moscow, training for the flight.
To prepare for the flight, the wannabe rocket man needs to work on rudimentary survival skills (including how to handle landing in the Black Sea and fending for himself in wolf-infested woods), learn Russian and take courses in flight control and space-flight theory.
Gorbunov says the lack of money may cut short Bass' training, which could make him ineligible for the mission.
But even if Bass' backers come up with the cash, there are still several obstacles to his space odyssey. Aside from finishing the rigorous training regimen, he still needs to be approved by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel, a board of international space partners.
Then there's NASA, which has expressed concerns over Bass' fluency in Russian and the potential disruption his presence would cause other astronauts working aboard the International Space Station. However, Russia's space agency has expressed confidence that Bass will be more than ready, despite cramming six months worth of training into four.
The 'N Syncer has already pleased officials by passing a battery of medical tests and physicals. If all goes as planned, he'll become the third tourist in space (and first pop star), following in the footsteps of U.S. millionaire Dennis Tito and South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth, each of whom paid a reported $20 million to hitch a ride with the Russians.
If the Russians don't say nyet, Bass, a Mississippi native, would join Sergei Zalyotin of Russia and Frank De Winne of Belgium on the 10-day trip--making him the youngest person ever in space, beating by two years Soviet cosmonaut German Titov, who was 25 when he blasted off in 1961.
The Russians are blasting off--with or without Lance Bass.
As the countdown continues to a scheduled October 28 Soyuz launch, the Russian space agency Rosaviakosmos was still waiting for its most famous would-be passenger to cough up his airfare.
But it won't wait much longer. On Thursday, Rosaviakosmos gave the ‘N Sync er 24 hours to come up with the $20 million--or it's a big nyet to his moonwalking dreams.
No word yet from the Russians as to whether Bass beat the deadline. A call today to Destiny Productions, the Los Angeles-based entertainment company that was coordinating the Bass adventure (and planning a TV series around it, natch), was not returned.
To be sure, the Russians aren't waiting around for the boy bander who, at age 23, could become the youngest man ever in space. If Bass' bucks don't come through, in the words of the Associated Press (paraphrasing a Russian spokesman): "[A] cargo container weighing the same as the singer will be sent in his place."
This get-tough stance comes as Bass' camp has repeatedly blown payment deadlines. At least that's the space agency's version of the things.
Destiny Productions' version of things is that the money's there ($15 million of it from three different corporate sponsors), it just hasn't been transferred into the Russians' bank account.
Bass has had his eye seriously on outerspace since at least last February, when he confirmed he was in talks to blast off with a Soyuz crew, en route to a docking at the International Space Station.
The deal got done in late July, when Bass signed a preliminary contract to become a so-called space tourist.
Even as the money issues threatened to ground his space flight, Bass has continued to train--on Thursday, floating around in zero gravity at the Russian cosmonaut training center in Moscow.
According to the Associated Press, Bass was due back in the States on Saturday for even more training--namely, the flight simulator at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
In other 'N Sync action, Justin Timberlake will become the first member of his singing posse to warble solo, with a scheduled performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, August 29 in New York, it was announced this week. Timberlake's debut solo album, Justified, is due out in November.
No word if a cargo container weighing the same as the singer will be stored backstage at the VMAs in the event Timberlake cannot fulfill his entertainer duties.
Bass Moves Closer to Blastoffby Julie Keller Aug 30, 2002, 12:35 PM PTThe Russians are apparently going to blast a pop star into space. And he couldn't be happier about it.
On the heels of receiving a formal go-ahead from NASA for his mid-October mission on Wednesday, 'N Sync's Lance Bass held a jubilant press conference about his upcoming adventure. How jubilant? He used the word "amazing" a whopping 41 times.
He also used the word "butt," which has to be a first for an astronaut-in-training when talking to the press.
"We have been training our butts off," the 23-year-old popster told reporters.
Though he does promise to belt out a tune and possibly strum on his guitar, Bass said the reason for the mission (and subsequent butt-busting training) is not musical. He says it's to educate and inspire his teenybopper fans to pursue their own goals.
"The education that I'm going to be doing is more like physics studies on video, just being able to talk live with people down in their schools on the ham radio," he explained. "Just letting them know what it's like to experience, let them see what it's like to be in zero gravity, to know what it's like to train to become a cosmonaut-astronaut."
The pop star, who will be the third civilian in space, is certainly getting a firsthand glimpse at the rigors involved in space travel. He's logged several weeks of training at cosmonaut headquarters in Star City, Russia, and he is currently continuing those sessions at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Plus, he has two more months to whip himself into shape, both physically and mentally.
"I kind of came in late in the game, but have been doing 12-hour days, six days a week, so I've definitely been cramming it in as much as I can," Bass said. "But with the help of my crew--and they've been amazing--any questions I have, they're right there for me. I feel very educated at this point and still have two months to go."
Bass and his crew will blast off October 28 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and will spend eight days in space docked at the International Space Station.
Though it seems things have finally been worked out, the path to the stars has been fraught with difficulty for the teen idol. He announced his plans for space travel way back in February. Since then, money, safety and government-involvement issues have threatened to foil him at every turn.
Just last week, the Russian space agency hosting the flight threatened to pull the plug on Bass' space odyssey if he didn't cough up the $20 million fee. According to the Russians, Bass repeatedly blew his payment deadlines.
TV producers representing Bass have yet to reach a financial deal, but Bass said he is confident that things will work themselves out. Corporate sponsors are still being lined up for a seven-part TV series that would begin in September and lead up to launch day, according to the Associated Press.
Prior to the financial woes, Bass had to deal with pesky NASA engineers who expressed concerns over his lack of fluency in Russian and the potential disruption his presence would cause other astronauts working aboard the Space Station.
No worries, said Bass, who promises not "to be a nuisance up there." And about not speaking Russian, he told reporters that everything will be fine because "I know how to point."
Indeed, the singer seems unfazed by the problems and is looking forward to his trip. He may even be inspired to write a song about his adventure.
"No promises," he said. "But I'm pretty sure there will definitely be something in my head."
Russians: Nyet to Bass' Rocket Rideby Marcus Errico Sep 3, 2002, 8:15 AM PTRussia has apparently bid bye bye bye to Lance Bass' space odyssey.
The 23-year-old 'N Syncer, who was vying to be the youngest person in orbit, as well as the first pop singer, has been booted from Russia's space training facilities.
The news comes just days after Bass held a giddy press conference trumpeting his planned fall trip to the International Space Station.
The wannabe space cadet got the big nyet Tuesday after failing to come up with a $20 million ticket to ride. The Russian Space Agency had set several payment ultimatums in recent weeks, but Bass and his backers--a consortium of TV producers who wanted to turn the trip into a reality TV special--never met the deadline.
A Russian official said Bass' trip has been scrapped due to "crude violations" of his contract.
"After failing to fulfill the conditions of his contract, Lance Bass has been told that his training at the Cosmonaut Training Center has ended and that his flight to the ISS is impossible," spokesman Sergei Gorbunov tells Reuters.
"Bass is now at Star City, gathering his stuff and preparing to leave."
Bass announced his space aspirations in February, confirming he was in negotiations to become the third space tourist, following in the flight suits of U.S. rich guy Dennis Tito and South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth--both of whom coughed up the $20 million to Russia's money-hungry space program.
Despite NASA fears that he would be ill-prepared for the October 28 liftoff, Bass signed a preliminary contractand began training in July at Star City, cramming on such topics as space-flight theory and physics, while also polishing his Russian and survival skills. He spent last week as NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston doing flight-simulator work with the other two crew members (Russian commander Sergei Zalyotin and Belgian flight engineer Frank DeWinne), capped by a press conference Friday in which he vowed to sing in space.
He returned to Russia on Sunday to continue his regimen.
While the Russian officials insist Bass' rocket ride dream "is over," the popster's camp is still hopeful a deal can be clinched, blaming paperwork problems and red tape for the delay in finalizing a contract.
"It is a little dramatic to say he was kicked out," Jeff Manbar, president of MirCorp, tells the Associated Press. Manbar, whose company is working with Destiny Productions on Bass' behalf, says he will continue to meet with Russian officials in hopes of hammering out a contract.
"He was training at Star City yesterday. He is not training today, but he will be back there probably tomorrow or the day after."
Bass' publicist, Jill Fritzo, adds, "The trip is not over...We feel very confident that there will be a resolution soon and the trip will go on as planned."
A NASA spokesperson, meanwhile, says the U.S. space agency has yet to hear anything official regarding Bass' dismissal.
But things don't look good for the singer. The Russians have already announced his replacement on the Soyuz rocket--a cargo container stuffed with extra equipment for the International Space Station.
NASA: No Space for Bassby Josh Grossberg Sep 9, 2002, 2:45 PM PTLance Bass can come back to Earth now. His star trek has finally run its course.
A week after Russia's space agency said it was scrapping the 'N Syncer's quest to become the youngest space ace, bouncing him from cosmonaut school for failing to pay for his $20 million ticket, NASA officials announced Monday that they've received written notice from the Russians confirming as much.
"The letter speaks for itself," NASA spokeswoman Debra Rahn told the Associated Press. "They've officially withdrawn Mr. Bass from the flight."
The letter was signed and faxed by M.V. Sinelshchikov, Russia's director of human space flight for Rosaviakosmos, to Frederick Gregory, NASA's deputy administrator and chairman of the board charged with supervising Bass' space flight.
NASA officials then forwarded word on to space agencies in Japan and Europe informing them of the Russian decision to jettison the 'N Syncer.
Bass was slated to blast off October 28 from Kazakhstan, Russia, on a Soyuz rocket .
"We appreciated his education outreach activities while he was there," Rahn added. "It was a business decision in which NASA had no part."
Bass' spokeswoman, Jill Fritzo, says the singer is still in Russia and has no comment.
Last week, Bass and Destiny Productions, his Hollywood producing partners who planned to turn the trip into a TV show, were still optimistic they could to scrape together the funds, despite missing numerous ultimatums.
Bass was vying to become the third civilian in space. He would also be the first pop star and, at 23, the youngest astronaut. He took his goal seriously, signing a preliminary contract July and moving to Russia's Star City, where he took crash courses on physics, space-flight theory and survival skills, all while trying to master the Russian language.
Late last month, Bass accompanied the mission's two cosmonauts for a week of training at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
At the time, a giddy Bass told reporters during a press conference that he was excited about the chance to inspire kids to reach for the stars and said he planned to sing in space.
He also appeared unruffled by the money issues. If things didn't pan out, he said he would "work [his] butt off trying to go for another mission."
The Russians have already decided on a replacement for the singer: a cargo container filled with gear for the International Space Station and weighing about the same as Bass.
posted by AnneMarie @ 11:06 p.m.
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