SINGER LANCE BASS COMES UP SHORT

Pop singing star Lance Bass returned from his failed Russian space tourist attempt in 2002 a full two inches shorter. Lance told Tonight Show host Jay Leno that it was a tight squeeze fitting into the tiny Soyuz module he hoped would make him the youngest person ever in space. And on his arrival to the U.S. following the project’s collapse, pals noticed a difference in Bass’ height."I came back shorter. Everyone said, ‘You’re much shorter’, so I measured myself and…yeah."My torso was too long to fit in the rocket seat. They had to make a special suit so when I was in space it would contract me." Bass was due to front a television show in which contestants would compete for places on the extraterrestrial adventure. And when the concept fell through, Bass was approached to star in a documentary training him for the module’s hot seat. He adds, "(The training was) intense - every day from five in the morning until nine at night."It was condensed training because it takes years to become a cosmonaut and they only had six months to train me." Bass had to abandon the plan when he couldn’t meet the Russian Space Agency’s $20 million funding demands.
Photo By: RD/Leon/Retna