MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. The Roscosmos state corporation is studying the possibility of organizing tourist missions via Yuri Gagarin’s route and is conducting negotiations with potential partners, Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with RBC.
Space tourism should not necessarily be connected with the International Space Station (ISS), he said. "Let’s say, orbital flights on Yuri Gagarin’s route is a good issue for tourists. We already started negotiations with potential partners, who are interested in this option," Rogozin reported.
The Roscosmos head said that such space missions may start after 2020 already. "I think that after 2020, after we place the Soyuz MS craft on the Soyuz-2.1a rocket, we will be able to increase the number of the spacecraft. Part of them will bring us direct commercial profit," Roscosmos’ head said.
Rogozin noted that the accident of the Soyuz-FG carrier rocket on October 11 proved the viability of Soyuz spacecraft. "It convinced the Americans, the Europeans and our cosmonauts all the more that no matter what happens with missile equipment, which may fail sooner or later, our vessel will secure human life and a return to the Earth. It is a landmark for the commercialization of space missions," he added.