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Plans To Convert Mir Into Spacestation Hotel
Tired of the usual holiday spots on planet Earth? Next year you could be in space because a US investor wants to turn the Russian space station Mir into the ultimate holiday resort. John Howard reports.
A reclusive US telecommunications tycoon is spending millions of dollars to renovate the Russian space station Mir, with plans to rent it to scientists, advertisers, and rich tourists searching for the ultimate holiday spot.
The Washington-based venture capitalist has already spent $US7 million to help save Mir and plans to spend another $US14 million by the end of the month when his company will sign a lease for the 14-year-old station.
Independent experts, even usual skeptics, say the venture has a good shot at working. But this could hurt NASA's plans for the international space station as cash-strapped Russia may drop its committment to a joint mission in favour of the new group's cold hard cash.
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