No Drugs, Or Alcohol? Must Be A Space Trip

Space may be the final frontier for 21st century tourists, but
fraudsters, drunks, drug addicts and delinquents should find somewhere
else to holiday.

With space tourism for the ultra rich set to take off, nations
building the International Space Station have agreed on a code for
selecting the type of people who will - and won't - be allowed to
board the orbiting outpost.

Signed by NASA, as well as the Russian, European, Japanese and
Canadian space agencies, the agreement comes less than three months
before a South African multi-millionaire is to become the second
fare-paying space tourist.

Last April, American Dennis Tito was launched on an eight-day space
station trip after paying Russia $US20 million (about $A40 million).

Russia's next manned space launch, on April 25, will blast Internet
multi-millionaire Mark Shuttleworth, 28, of Cape Town, to the station.
Russia is also reported to be close to signing up a third tourist for
October.

The space agencies' nine-page code, which also applies to professional
astronauts and cosmonauts, will bar travellers from the station for
"criminal, dishonest, infamous or notoriously disgraceful conduct" as
well as "habitual use of intoxicating beverages to excess" and drug
abuse.

A record of "delinquency or misconduct" in prior civilian or military
employment will leave potential space trippers Earth-bound, as will
"making false statement or fraud in examination or
appointment".

However, the code omits the most vital of all requirements for space
tourists - $40 million to pay the fare.