RSSSenators: Space station jeopardized by Georgia conflict
By Tim Conneally | Published August 14, 2008, 6:44 PM
The Russia-Georgia conflict has US senators worrying about NASA's future in the International Space Station project. As it is now, US law may eventually prohibit NASA from enlisting the help of its only way into space after 2011.
Senators Bill Nelson (D - Fla.) and Barbara Mikulski (D - Md.) -- who is incidentally the chair of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NASA -- expressed concerns that if the conflict erodes US-Russian relations, NASA may have no way to reach the International Space Station.
Since the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster of 2003, NASA has traveled to the orbiting lab on Russia's Soyuz capsule, the longest-serving manned spacecraft in the world.
The International Space Station began construction in 1998, and has had a full-time staff on board since November 2000, with crews of three working on a rotating schedule. The current crew consists of two cosmonauts who have been aboard since April 2008 and one astronaut who joined in late May. Their missions are scheduled to end in October.
However, the Iran, North Korea, Syria Non-Proliferation Act, which became law in 2000, bans the the US from purchasing services from countries that trade nuclear or ballistic supplies with Iran. Were it not for a 2005 exemption in the bill expressly related to the United States' use of the Soyuz capsule, Russia's dealings with Iran would render the Russian Space Agency off-limits to US organizations.
From the bill:
(1) it is the policy of the Government of the Russian Federation to oppose the proliferation to Iran of weapons of mass destruction and missile systems capable of delivering such weapons;
(2) such government has demonstrated through the implementation of concrete steps a commitment to seek out and prevent the transfer to Iran of goods, services, and technology that could make a material contribution to the development of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, or of ballistic or cruise missile systems, including through the imposition of penalties on persons who make such transfers; and
(3) neither the Russian Space Agency, nor any organization under its control, has, during the one-year period prior to the determination, made transfers to Iran of controlled goods, services, or technology or non-controlled goods, services, or technology with potential to make a material contribution to Iran's development of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, or of ballistic or cruise missile systems."
The exemption will expire in 2011, but NASA's Constellation Program is not expected to be completed until 2015. Until that time, the sole means of transport for US astronauts was the Soyuz capsule.
Nelson recently spoke to the Orlando Sentinel, expressing how difficult it has been to get Congressional support for the waiver that will extend US access to Soyuz. Russia's invasion of neighboring Georgia, he believes, will only make it harder.
"There will be consequences not just for Russia but for the US, too. That's a hundred billion dollar investment up there that we won't have access to," Nelson told reporters.
it's a big waste of money anyways. if it ever gets completed, it will be outdated and ready to scrap.
maybe all those thousands of useless fema trailers can be attached to the space station and make it into a Space Hotel.
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|"We have to leave in two days. I can't tell you how I know. You'd never believe me if I did anyway. I'm not even sure I'd believe me. You're just going to have to trust me."
"ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA. ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE. USE THEM TOGETHER. USE THEM IN PEACE."
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|I think it was actually:
" ... USE THEM TOGETHER. USE THEM IN PEACE* "
* with specified exceptions
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|This makes no sense.. The Space Shuttle was just up in space AT the International Space Station installing a new lab. That lab would have never got up if the US had to rely on the Soyez to get up there..
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|When World War III breaks out it won't matter anyway.
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|There was once a Shuttle replacement project called VentureStar that everyone deemed futile.
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|politics always seems to screw everything up
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|I think it's somehow related...
On February 1, 2003, Columbia disintegrated during re-entry over Texas, on its 28th mission, killing all seven crew members.
On March 20, 2003 ... explosions were heard in Baghdad. ... At 03:15 UTC, or 10:15 p.m. EST, George W. Bush announced that he had ordered an "attack of opportunity" against targets in Iraq. As soon as this word was given the troops on standby crossed the border into Iraq.
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|M.A.R.S. MARS b****ES
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|Sounds like they need to throw more money at NASA to get Constellation finished before 2011 or make play games with Russia until they do.
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