A quick search of the tubes of the Interwebs under the topic Almaz reveals that the Soviet Union actually launched and successfully operated a series manned reconnaissance platforms with powerful cameras and a film delivery system, one even had an electrically actuated machine gun:
[youtube:12yyxtaf][/youtube:12yyxtaf]
Fast forward to the present day, some of that same hardware that was never launched by the Soviets may become the first tourist destination in space:
Ponderous... If I ever hit the lottery it will be hard to pass up a chance to travel into space, I guess I had better start buying a lottery ticket every so often...
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.
"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the Government take care of him; better take a closer look at the American Indian." - Henry Ford
Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges; When the Republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous. - Publius Cornelius Tacitus
