Lance Bass Given Space Deadline

The Russian space agency has given 'N Sync singer Lance Bass five days to come up with payment for a trip to the international space station this fall, a spokesman said Monday.

Konstantin Kreidenko, spokesman for the agency, said that if payment is not received by Friday, Bass will not be permitted to take part in the mission, which is scheduled to begin Oct. 28. The price tag for such a "space tourist trip" is said to be about $20 million.

Bass, who is hoping to be the third tourist to travel to the station, has been training since July at Star City, the Russian cosmonaut center outside Moscow. Bass, 23, would be the youngest person yet in space.

Bass' supporters have blamed paperwork problems for the delay in transferring payment to Russia. David Krieff, a Los Angeles television producer who plans a series about Bass' trip, said he has lined up three sponsors so far who have committed between $5 million and $15 million each.