The word was that the current space tourist, Charles Simonyi, might be the last for a while. With the doubling of the ISS crew from three to six and the retirement of the space shuttle, all the seats on the Soyuz capsules, it was thought, would be taken by bona fide astronaut/cosmonaut types.
Well, maybe not.
Eric Anderson, CEO of Space Adventures, the company that sells the Soyuz flights, says a seat aboard a Soyuz may become available for one of his clients in September. Two of those clients have already completed the necessary training. Further, Anderson (no relation to me) speculates there might be occasional openings in the years ahead.
SA has contracted with Russia to build Soyuz capsules which SA will own, and which will carry two tourists per flight. The first of those flights is scheduled for 2012. Longer term, SA is also planning to offer flights around the Moon using the Soyuz spacecraft.
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