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Brightman began training in Russia’s Star City in January for
a ride aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule and 10-day stay on the
station, a $100 billion research laboratory that flies about 260
miles (418 km) above Earth.
The trip would have cost her about $52 million, said Space
Adventures, the privately owned U.S. travel agency that arranged
the expedition.
“Ms. Brightman said that for personal family reasons her
intentions have had to change and she is postponing her
cosmonaut training and flight plans at this time,” a statement
on the singer’s Facebook page said.
Brightman was to be the eighth paying tourist to visit the
station, a project of 15 nations. One passenger, Microsoft Corp
co-founder Charles Simonyi, has made the trip twice.
Japanese entrepreneur Satoshi Takamatsu had been training as
Brightman’s backup and presumably is in position to take over
her seat. Space Adventures did not immediately reply to a
request for comment.
Brightman was preparing for a September flight. That launch was
likely to be delayed following the announcement on Tuesday that
Russia is postponing the next station crew's launch two months
until late July because of a Soyuz rocket accident
investigation.
It was not known if Brightman’s decision to cancel her training
and flight is related to the launch delay.
(Editing by Andre Grenon)
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