Uncharted territory: Cosmonauts to appear on home-shopping network
Copyright c 1998 Nando.net
Copyright c 1998 The Associated Press
NEW YORK (February 6, 1998 08:49 a.m. EST nando.net) -- Just when you thought late-night television couldn't get any weirder, Russian cosmonauts are taking over QVC. Two cosmonauts will appear on the cable shopping channel via satellite from the orbiting Mir station Saturday as ex-flight engineer Alexander Lazutkin offers comments from the stage of a New York comedy club.
No joke -- the Russians are hawking space suits, meteorites and Mars rocks.
Just what they get out of the deal isn't clear. But QVC says some proceeds will be donated to Russia's shaky space program.
The 40-year-old Lazutkin lounged in a Times Square hotel lobby Thursday, looking out on the city he had previously seen only from space. "It is one of the brightest," he said.
He arrived from Russia with glove in hand -- a thoroughly used one from his 186 days aboard the oft-troubled Mir. The three spacesuits up for grabs also were worn on Mir, but obtained from other sources, QVC producer Terry Torok said.
Although the shopping channel paid his way, "I didn't come here to sell," Lazutkin said through an interpreter. "I came to educate the public -- that's my primary role."
Whatever the roles, the TV auction is the latest commercial venture for the Russian space program and cosmonauts who grew up under Soviet communism. In July, a month after Mir collided with a cargo ship, commander Vasily Tsibliyev swallowed a floating blob of milk for an Israeli dairy commercial.
Two days ago, Russian space chief Yuri Koptev told the ITAR-Tass news agency that Mir would be used regularly as an advertising prop.
"It doesn't make any difference for us what to advertise -- cars or foodstuff. The only condition is that advertising doesn't contradict legal and ethical norms," Koptev said. [I shudder to think what that might be in today's climate.]
Don't look for Andrew Thomas, the U.S. astronaut aboard Mir. He won't take part in the latest sales promotion, though NASA is aware of it.
QVC's legion of fans will be offered a crack at 11 tiny Mars rocks, encased in plastic cubes. QVC officials said the rocks, authenticated by scientists, will go for $90 to $2,500, depending on size.
There are 15 meteorites at prices ranging from $850 to $2,500. And buyers can plunk down $25,000 for each of three Russian-made Sokol KV-2 spacesuits, the type worn by cosmonauts and American astronauts during space walks outside the Mir. Each weighs 22 pounds and comes with boots, gloves, a pressurized hood and "all the fittings," QVC said.
The least exotic items? U.S.-made "space pens," already available at some earthly outlets. The cosmonauts' job will be to demonstrate how the pens write at any angle without gravity.
"We built a 20,000-square-foot house in our studio to demonstrate home products," said Fred Siegel, QVC's senior vice president and executive producer. "If you want to demonstrate a space pen, where else would you go but space?"
By RICHARD PYLE, Associated Press Writer
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