Lance Bass of *NSYNC and “AstroMom” Lori Garver today announced that
RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) has brought them together by supporting both their
efforts to fly to the International Space Station (ISS).
RadioShack, which kicked off the music star’s space bid by financing his
medical screening at the Institute for BioMedical Problems in Moscow, has
now also provided support to Ms. Garver. DFI International/It’s Time LLC,
where Garver heads up a space consulting practice, provided the initial
funding for her medical screening.
“Lori and Lance now are coordinating their efforts to blast off to the
space station on a Russian Soyuz rocket, which delivers a fresh lifeboat to
the ISS every six months,” said Jim McDonald, Senior Vice President of
Marketing and Advertising for RadioShack Corporation in Fort Worth, Texas.
“RadioShack made history last year by filming the first TV commercial on the
space station, showing a Father’s Day gift from RadioShack being delivered
to cosmonaut-dad Yuri Usachev.”
Both aspiring space travelers today received preliminary certification
of their medical fitness to fly to space from Russian authorities.
Centrifuge tests were the most exciting; this giant machine spun them up to
simulate the extra weight that comes during the acceleration of a Soyuz
launch and the deceleration of the return to Earth.
The next Soyuz flights are scheduled for mid October 2002 and late April
2003, and one seat on each is available on a commercial basis to adventurers
like Lance Bass and Lori Garver. Both are in discussions with additional
sponsors and television networks to expand their support beyond RadioShack.
“It’s been a great experience for me at the Institute for Biomedical
Problems,” said Bass of his medical screening, which began in March in
Moscow and continued with tests in the United States between concert dates
of the recently completed *NSYNC tour. “The eight G’s on the centrifuge
test was awesome, and a lot of fun.”
Jeffrey Manber, president of Mir-Corp in Amsterdam, is working with the
Russian Aviation and Space Agency and RSC Energia to develop a business and
training plan to assist the two space enthusiasts.
David Gump, president of LunaCorp in Arlington, Virginia, is
RadioShack’s advisor on space exploration projects.
David Krieff, president of Destiny Productions in Los Angeles, is
working with television networks on the financing and creative vision for
Lance Bass’s trip.
Jim Rossi and Jack Daley, Principals of Space Marketing Mission, lead
the AstroMom/It’s Time project’s media, corporate and educational
sponsorship program.
About RadioShack Corporation
Fort Worth, Texas-based RadioShack Corporation is the nation’s most
trusted consumer electronics specialty retailer of wireless communications,
electronic parts, batteries and accessories as well as other digital
technology products and services. With more than 7,200 stores nationwide,
it is estimated that 94 percent of all Americans live or work within five
minutes of a RadioShack store or dealer. The company’s knowledgeable sales
associates and brand position, “You’ve Got Questions, We’ve Got Answers,”
support RadioShack’s mission to demystify technology in every neighborhood
in America. For more information on the company, visit the RadioShack
Corporation Web site at www.radioshackcorporation.com . For more
information on RadioShack products and services, visit its e-commerce Web
site at www.radioshack.com .
