Posts: 187
From: W.Sussex United Kingdom
Registered: May 2003

posted 11-04-2008 01:01 PM               

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Couple of questions on how things will work with the ISS once US astronauts can no longer fly on Soyuz missions:

1) Are there elements of the ISS that are dependant on US expertise (i.e. replacing SARJ elements); or put another way, is the ISS put at risk by not having a US presence?

2) Could a ‘proxy’ US presence be supported by flying astronauts who are part of other corps i.e. ESA and NADSA but who are qualified US mission specialists? Europe and Japan presumably have no restrictions on purchasing Soyuz seats.

3) Given the ISS will reach a capacity of 6 around the time that US astronauts are no longer flying, will we get to the point where there are 6 Russians on the ISS and no US astronauts (has there been any comment from NASA on how this will look politically)?

Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007

Posts: 187
From: W.Sussex United Kingdom
Registered: May 2003