An Orbiting Bureaucrat

The Cold Wars frenzied race to record firsts in space may have been replaced by genteel cooperation, but Moscow is set to edge out the U.S. in becoming the first nation to send a national politician into space. Former Kremlin national security adviser Yuri Baturin will be blasted up to Mir on August 12 to take part in a research mission. Thats two months ahead of Senator John Glenns planned sojourn on the shuttle Discovery. As space travel for the political executive goes, Discovery easily has the edge over Mir for comfort and safety, but the Russian station cant be beaten for bar service.