The Russian space agency is a bit upset and considering scrapping Bass’s space launch to visit the International Space station later this year. They say that Bass has missed his first payment and while there is still time to salvage the deal, the Russians “cannot wait forever.” 

 “There are a number of deadlines for the installments to be paid, but the first part has already been delayed,” said Sergei Gorbunov, a spokesman for the Russian Aviation and Space Agency. “Theoretically, we can already dissolve his contract,” 
                                
Bass is raising the required money from corporate sponsors and a network television deal. The Russians state that the millions paid by Bass’s sponsors will be used to offset expenses such as the required training he will need to be launched into space. At the moment Bass is training for the mission at Star City in suburban Moscow.  Gorbunov  warned, “If Star City, where he has also not paid a large part of his training fees, decides to cut short his training, this would be enough to take him off the flight.” 

The delay seems to be attributed to some of the sponsors attempt to line up insurance to cover themselves in case of a possible loss from the project, which is supposed to culminate in a network Television special. It has gotten to the point that Bass’s sponsors have approached the Russian’s asking for a little more time. Here is what Gorbunov has to say on that matter, “His backers have sent us a letter asking us to set back the deadline to August 9.  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.”

If Bass and his sponsors manage to come up with the money quick enough for the Russian’s he will still have to be approved for the launch by the International Space Station Partners.  If Bass does end up going into space he will not only be the first pop singer to venture out to the stars, but also the younger person to ever be launched into space. 

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