>>>Uh, Walter -- the Russian space program outperformed the U.S.? Are you kidding me? Quoting the late, great American comedian Sam Kinison, "If you want to impress us, bring back our flag!!!" Sam included an adjective I will leave out.
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>>So, when did the US capsules start landing on dry land?
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>>>Now they're selling minor space flights to the rich. I think Charles Simonyi (annoyingly referred to in the news as "Martha Stewart's friend") is still up there even as we speak. It's a Russian bake sale.
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>>Sour grapes? How many tourists did NASA accomodate? What's stopping NASA from doing the same thing, or from doing that 20 years ago?
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>I hardly think the space program should be distracted by rich tourists. Isn't it supposed to be about science?

I heard CNN's Miles O'Brian say that CNN/NASA were literally days away from annoncing his participation as a 'space tourist' when the February 2 years ago disaster occurred. He said that, of course, the disaster put an end to all that.
I don't guess that he was going via a Russian craft.

I'd say that space tourism isn't beyond the pale for the U.S. program. You yourself know that whereever there's money to be made the American system takes it to the next level. Why would it be any different here?