Cowing knows the people - but he's keeping them hidden - and no one has to report a story in full, even if not doing so leaves their readers in a seriously confused condition...

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Tumlinson wanted NASA to cancel ISS, and spend the money "saved" to buy a manned Mars flight from the "private sector", in other words his friends. Usually this would be seen as insanity, but these days...

First he attacked Clinton for Russian involvement in ISS, funded by a $10,000,000 bankroll from a fellow who wanted frequencies from the FCC.

When this failed Tumlinson tried to keep Mir flying, and using his formidable pr skills made appeals to Russian nationalism - and using his hard ball skills he cut Yuri Pavlovich in on the deal as a private citizen as a part of Mir Corp.

Mir Corp diverts $30,000,000 in US provided ISS hardware for this fantasy, and at the same itme diverts some $20,000,000 of Russian hardware. The project fails completely, but no one goes to jail for the diversion of some $50,000,000 in US and Russian national assets.

Now it appears he's trying to screw up flights to ISS as best he can - Mir Corp does not have any kind of exclusive right to fly passengers to ISS, but is pressing that claim -

How long, Lord, how long?....

ep