The Russian Government has voted against a motion to send pop queen Madonna into space, after 252 parliament members refused to back the idea. Alexei Mitrofanov, a member of the Duma (the lower house of parliament), insisted the trip would be "a great event to organize in the same year as elections in the United States and Russia."

The singer - who performed for the first time in Russian capital Moscow on Tuesday - "expressed a desire to go into space and board the ISS (International Space Station)."

Mitrofanov today asked members of parliament to vote on whether Russia's space agency should consider a space flight for the singer Forty-two legislators voted in favor of the motion, but 252 were against it. Madonna came under fire from Russian authorities after hitting headlines with a controversial dance routine, which features her writhing on a cross while wearing a crown of thorns.

However, she made no changes to her choreography for last night's Moscow show, despite being targeted by religious protestors.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)