Mir orbiting Earth. Photo: NASA

Officials deep inside the Russian space program are hinting toward the idea that a new crew to the Russian space station Mir is becoming more and more likely, according to the ITAR-TASS news agency of Russia.

Just weeks ago, it appeared all but certain that Mir's last hurrah came last spring when a crew of two journeyed to the outpost to prepare it for possible future commercial use. But in the midst of these new reports, that assumption has apparently been shot down, at least for now.

ITAR-TASS cited Colonel General Pyotr Klimuk, director of the Russian Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, located just outside of Moscow in a village known as Star City, as the source of these new revelations. He said that two cosmonauts are training for a possible mission to the 14-year old station some time in January. The pair are joined by American businessman Dennis Tito, a 60-year old from Santa Monica, California, who is paying MirCorp approximately $20 million for a possible trip to Mir, said ITAR-TASS.

Tito, a former NASA engineer, had paid the first two of his five payments to MirCorp as of October 24. As of the same date, Tito's final installment of the payment was due for delivery in December.

Tito has said that his training will be able to let him serve as a fully functional member of the Mir crew. "Once on board the station, I plan to be available to help with whatever activity as a member of the Mir crew, and I hope to be able to conduct experiments on behalf of Russian and other researchers," he said.

It is unknown who the two cosmonauts on the prime crew for the Mir mission are, and Klimuk did not announce what the crew would do if they were given the go-ahead for the mission.

Depending on the decision made by the Russian government and Mir-builder RSC Energia, who literally hold the future of the orbiting outpost in their hands, the crew could either help prepare Mir for a possible de-orbit and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, or help prepare Mir for a future as a tourist destination and space laboratory. Science experiments may also take place, Klimuk said to ITAR-TASS.

Recently, officials inside the Russian government as high as the Deputy Prime Minister have expressed opinions and possible plans for Mir’Äôs future in space. MirCorp President Jeffrey Manber says he thinks the final decision in this tug-of-way of sorts should be made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the company has requested that Manber meet with Putin.