Russia's space officials on Thursday rushed to find a replacement for British singer Sarah Brightman after she pulled out as the next space tourist four months ahead of her planned trip.
The singer known for roles in West End musicals such as "Phantom of the Opera" said Wednesday she was suspending her plans to fly to the International Space Station for "family reasons", reportedly her mother's poor health.
In a brief statement, the Russian space agency said it "hopes that all will be well with Brightman's loved ones."
Brightman, 54, had paid $52 million (48 million euros) to fly to the ISS, and hoped to become the first soprano to sing on board. She underwent training and passed health checks.
Speculation in Russia centred on whether Brightman pulled out because of safety fears after an unmanned supply ship to the ISS lost contact with mission control after its launch last month and fell back to Earth.
Brightman wanted to fly "on condition of complete safety -- she didn't want to risk a hair," Igor Marinin, editor of Space News magazine, told RIA Novosti news agency.
Astronauts on the ISS are spending an extra month aboard while Russia investigates the accident.
The next space launch has also been delayed although this was not expected to affect the September 1 flight.
Reports also questioned whether Brightman had failed to raise funds.
The Izvestia daily cited an "informed source" as saying: "As far as we know from our partners, the main reason is that the singer could not attract a big enough sum from sponsors to cover her ISS trip."
The singer,who won a multi-million divorce settlement from composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, has said she is paying for the trip herself.
Cargo replacement?
Brightman's place in the spaceship to the ISS may simply be filled with cargo which is needed after the supply ship failure, said Russian space official Sergei Krikalev, speaking to Interfax, calling this the "simplest and quickest solution."
Rumours had circulated for months that the singer might pull out of the 10-day trip. In January she delayed the start of her training to visit her sick mother.
"Several candidates are now being looked at to replace Sarah Brightman," a source in the space industry told Interfax news agency.
"The chances of finding a suitable candidate are small, especially since there's practically no time left for training."
Space Adventures, the US company which books space tourists, "has a few days or a week to find another tourist," another space industry source told TASS news agency.
"Otherwise they'll send a young Russian first-time cosmonaut."
It was unclear whether a Japanese businessman who has been training with Brightman could step in.
The businessman, Satoshi Takamatsu, signed a contract to undergo training, not a far more costly ticket to the ISS, a space industry source told Interfax.
There was no comment on whether Brightman would make another bid to fly to the ISS.
Previous space tourists visiting the ISS on a total of eight trips have included the Canadian founder of the Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, and Iranian-American entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari, so far the only woman.
Several other space tourists have been rejected in the past for health reasons or failed to come up with the money.
Russia in 2002 rejected then-22-year-old US singer Lance Bass from boyband NSYNC for failing to pay for his training.
AFP
Thu May 14 2015
![Russia races to replace British singer Sarah Brightman as space tourist Russia races to replace British singer Sarah Brightman as space tourist](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-05/61431613037_295x200.jpg)
Several other space tourists have been rejected in the past for health reasons or failed to come up with the money. - AFP Photo
AWANI Borneo [15/08/2024] – Jaga integrity | Persaingan sihat | SUKMA 2024
Tumpuan Awani Borneo 15 Ogos 2024 bersama Nickyson Nyambar;
1. Hajiji ingatkan pegawai daerah jaga integriti, mudahkan urusan rakyat
2. KPDN pelawa pasar raya besar buka cawangan di Sabah, Labuan
3. SUKMA 2024: Premier bakal umum insentif untuk atlet Sarawak berjaya raih pingat
1. Hajiji ingatkan pegawai daerah jaga integriti, mudahkan urusan rakyat
2. KPDN pelawa pasar raya besar buka cawangan di Sabah, Labuan
3. SUKMA 2024: Premier bakal umum insentif untuk atlet Sarawak berjaya raih pingat
[TERKINI] Belasungkawa: Jenazah Allahyarham Nidza Afham selamat dikebumikan
Ikuti siaran perjalanan terakhir jenazah Allahyarham Nidza Afham di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Felda Bukit Cherakah, Puncak Alam, Selangor.
SUKMA 2024: Kesemua venue bagi 488 acara sedia digunakan
Kerja penaiktarafan tiga lokasi iaitu padang memanah, gelanggang hoki serta trek bmx yang belum siap sepenuhnya tidak menjejaskan pelaksanaan acara sukan berkenaan kerana ia hanya melibatkan fasiliti tandas yang diganti menggunakan tandas mudah alih, selain landskap trek.
KPDN pelawa Lotus’s, pasar raya besar buka cawangan di Sabah, Labuan
Mengambil contoh harga ayam di Lotus’s Malaysia, Armizan berkata rangkaian pasar raya itu konsisten menawarkan harga berpatutan serendah RM6.99 sekilogram berbanding harga ayam yang tinggi di wilayah tersebut.
Hajiji ingatkan pegawai daerah jaga integriti, mudahkan urusan rakyat
Hajiji berkata beliau telah menerima banyak aduan daripada rakyat dan laporan tentang isu integriti serta ketelusan melibatkan Pegawai Daerah dan Penolong Pegawai Daerah, termasuk ada antara mereka melengah-lengahkan urusan yang mempunyai kepentingan untuk rakyat.
STB Sabah mahu kembalikan kegemilangan Sandakan
Lembaga Pelancongan Sabah (STB) mengambil tindakan segera dengan mengadakan sesi libat urus bersama wakil-wakil rakyat dan pemain industri pelancongan Sandakan nagi mengembalikan populariti daerah itu dalam kalangan pelancong.
Astro ketengah elemen 'Heart to Heart' untuk Malaysia
Kempen Inilah KITA yang dilancarkan Astro sejak minggu lalu meraikan semangat kebersamaan serta makna sebagai rakyat Malaysia di bawah cerminan negara yang berbilang kaum dan majmuk sama seperti yang ada di Sabah dan Sarawak. Kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan Astro Holdings Berhad, Euan Smith, kebersatuan itu diraikan menerusi bakat penceritaan kakitangan Astro yang dinamik dan menyentuh hati.
Bahasa etnik medium hebahan Bulan Kebangsaan di Sabah
Timbalan Pengarah Jabatan Penerangan (JaPen) Sabah Supian Musa berkata inisiatif itu bukan hanya bertujuan menyemarakkan sambutan, tetapi lebih utama mahu memastikan mesej disampaikan dalam bahasa mudah difahami supaya dapat dihayati semua lapisan masyarakat.
SUKMA 2024: Premier umum insentif untuk pemenang pingat Sarawak pada Jumaat
NIlai insentif yang menanti atlet Sarawak yang meraih pingat dalam temasya sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) ke-21 dijangka diumum Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg pada Jumaat.
![Hari Kebangsaan: Kapasiti tempat duduk di Dataran Putrajaya ditambah - Fahmi Hari Kebangsaan: Kapasiti tempat duduk di Dataran Putrajaya ditambah - Fahmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723720861_TBmerdeka.jpg)
Hari Kebangsaan: Kapasiti tempat duduk di Dataran Putrajaya ditambah - Fahmi
Kapasiti tempat duduk awam bertingkat di Dataran Putrajaya di sini akan ditambah.
![Anak Andrew Lloyd Webber, Nicholas meninggal dunia pada usia 43 tahun Anak Andrew Lloyd Webber, Nicholas meninggal dunia pada usia 43 tahun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-03/41679794912_NicholasLloydWebbe.jpg)
Anak Andrew Lloyd Webber, Nicholas meninggal dunia pada usia 43 tahun
Nicholas meninggal dunia ketika menerima rawatan di sebuah hospital di Basingstoke, England akibat kanser perut dan pneumonia.
![Selepas 35 tahun, pementasan Phantom of the Opera di Broadway berakhir Selepas 35 tahun, pementasan Phantom of the Opera di Broadway berakhir](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-09/81663425454_TBPHANTOMOFOPERA.jpg)
Selepas 35 tahun, pementasan Phantom of the Opera di Broadway berakhir
Sejak mula dipentaskan pada 26 Januari 1988, ia telah dipersembahkan lebih 13,500 kali dan ditonton oleh lebih 19 juta penonton.
![Terima ulasan negatif, filem 'Cats' disunting semula selepas seminggu ditayangkan Terima ulasan negatif, filem 'Cats' disunting semula selepas seminggu ditayangkan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2019-12/41577055817_TBCatsFilm.jpg)
Terima ulasan negatif, filem 'Cats' disunting semula selepas seminggu ditayangkan
Kandungan keseluruhan filem itu tidak berubah, namun beberapa kesan visual dikatakan telah ditambah baik.
![The Phantom of the Opera 'hantui' Istana Budaya The Phantom of the Opera 'hantui' Istana Budaya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2019-06/71561024565_TBPHANTOMOPERA.jpg)
The Phantom of the Opera 'hantui' Istana Budaya
Untuk tiga minggu sahaja, peminat berpeluang menyaksikan tiga watak utamanya -- The Phantom, Christine Daae dan Raoul -- secara langsung.