Methinks the Ruskies will be screaming uncle over this one.
Perhaps they had better keep their sinking subs in dry dock.
Posted on 10/01/2005 11:22:48 AM PDT by lizol
Russia May Refuse to Return U.S. Astronaut to Earth Free of Charge
Beginning from the next space expedition Russia will deliver U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station only on commercial basis. William McArthur who has just left for ISS can stay in orbit until the American side pays for his return, RIA Novosti reported.
“Russia has met all the engagements on transferring NASA employees to the ISS. Formally, we even do not have to return McArthur to the Earth,” Russia’s space agency Roskosmos senior official Alexey Krasnov said.
After NASA grounded its shuttle fleet in July, having failed to fix a technical problem that killed seven astronauts in 2003, only Russian Soyuz spacecraft bear the responsibility for ferrying people and supplies to the $100-billion station.
The snag is that trade sanctions linked to U.S. fears that Russian technology and know-how could help Iran develop nuclear weapons mean NASA cannot pay Roskosmos.
U.S. lawmakers are considering lifting the ban. Nobody expects McArthur to spin round space forever.
Methinks the Ruskies will be screaming uncle over this one.
Perhaps they had better keep their sinking subs in dry dock.
Use the shuttles to remove him and the US provided modules from the station.
Let capitalism rule.
It's already a contradiction in terms given the price of the ISS. If capitalism were to rule here the project never would've been undertaken and certainly wouldn't be continued.
Pull the plug.
ping
What shuttles? The pieces o crap are grounded.....
Send the Constellation to visit the Barbary Pirates.
I indicated no love for the space industry's ability to squander tax money in an effort to build the NASA "Corporation" into an all consuming government conglomeration.
Though we do get batteries now that last for hours and hours ... don't we? ;)
Perhaps the Chinese would be willing to participate in the ISS program. Cheaper than Russian junk.
Is there a web resource showing exactly what components are connected to the station, what their purposes are, who built them, and are they being used?
If the Russian's do charge to bring him back, NASA should forward the invoice to Dan Golden, the ex NASA administrator who created all this trouble.
The Chinese failed to develop their own program and had to buy equipment from the Russians.
The Chinese failed to develop their own program and had to buy equipment from the Russians.==
Look like Russia is only one space power with piloted ships now.
Yeah, and nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, either..
China graduate more engineers in a month than America in a year. The old way of thinking is getting obsolescent faster than a fresh degree in IT.
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