US television viewers learned about the exciting new world of space tourism on the American Broadcasting Company's (ABC) "World News Tonight," the network's nightly world news broadcast.

The "World News Tonight" segment on space tourism focused on the rivalry between "soccer mom" and consultant Lori Garver and NSync star Lance Bass for the third paying space tourist seat, aboard a Soyuz bound for space station Alpha in November.

Both Garver and Bass were interviewed. Garver remarked that, in the post-Tito environment, "We have broken the myth of ... the Right Stuff."

As part of her effort to get sponsorship for the flight, Garver is offering to do TV commercials aboard Alpha.

Ms. Garver has been a Washington veteran for years. She worked for Senator John Glenn, then served as an officer of the National Space Society. In the 1990's, Garver served as then-Administrator Dan Goldin's PR official at NASA.

The mood of the ABC report was upbeat and favorable on space tourism. The broadcast mentioned that NASA is not offering these opportunities, the Russians are.