Conflict of Russian cosmonauts with Houston training centre to be settled on Tuesday

The Russian cosmonauts who boycotted classes at the astronauts' training centre in Houston, Texas, because their third crew member was barred from attending are likely to resume preparations for their flight on Tuesday, Gagarin cosmonauts' training centre reported. "At least this order will be sent to America as soon as a new working day begins there," a spokesman for the Russian center claiming anonymity told Interfax. "The crew have signed a contract and must fulfill it," he said. The crew consisting of Russian cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Yuri Baturin and U.S. space tourist Dennis Tito arrived in Houston on Sunday and should have started training on Monday, Interfax reports. However, NASA representatives denied training to Tito because the agency is categorically opposed to sending the tourist on April 30 as "important assembly work is under way at the International Space Station and the tourist may distract the crew."