NASA ASTRONAUT Scott Parazinsky's departure from the Russian cosmonaut centre at Star City, after training for a planned 143-day flight aboard the Mir 1 space station in August 1997, has exposed a potentially serious deterioration in relations between the two countries in the build-up to the Alpha space station.
Reports from Star City indicate that the Russians have taken umbrage at the USA's "commandeering tone", and have decided to "...punish the disrespectful attitude" of the Americans.
The 1.87m-tall Parazinsky, was told by Russian managers, that he was too big and had an excessively long torso, to fit the Soyuz TM spacecraft, which he would have to fly in the event, of an emergency return to Earth.
Another US astronaut, the 1.6m-tall Wendy Lawrence, has been told she is just below the allowable height requirement to fly in a Soyuz.
Several Russian cosmonauts as tall as Parazinsky have flown Soyuz craft into space. One, Valeri Korzun, who is in training for a flight at Star City, is even taller.
NASA had been told that modifications could be made to the Soyuz to accommodate Parazinsky. If the height ban stays, it will prevent over 50% of NASA astronauts from making long-duration flights aboard the Alpha space station, which will be equipped with Soyuz emergency re-entry vehicles.
Source: Flight International