Will the Space Station be Abandoned? (a.k.a-We can't rely on the Russians)

Originally posted by SecretKnowledge
america needs its own space station? dont think so
russia's ORIGINAL space station, mir, means world in english. world.
nothing russian. nothing east european. world.
they built it for ALL mankind, eventually allowing the americans use of it
if russia had the money nasa has wasted thus far, we would be much more advanced in space
if america had its own space station the world would be kept in the dark about it
can you imagine the secrecy surrounding it?
if this planet is to advance as a civillisation then the whole world needs to come together as one
not one country trying to run the whole world

I agree. But honestly the whole world coming together for a single cause? I believe us average non elitist non corporate non government people can come together. Not the leaders, that would take a MAN putting his EGO aside for if only just one moment in time.

reply to post by SecretKnowledge

You couldn't be more wrong. Russia is using 60's technology (granted updated), and they don't send out a myriad of celestial probes adding to mankind's knowledge of 'how things work'. They are mechanics, (inferior to German mechanics) and their progress is measured by building the same stuff bigger, except for manned spacecrafts that is.

Lighten up Francis. You have no idea of all the spinoff technologies created from the Space Shuttle development, eclipsing exponentially anything Russian space related, or earthly applications. You just wanted to vent for some reason I suppose, it's a free country, (here).

America's first space station was called 'Skylab', so what! Renders your rant meaningless bias.

Anyone seen this from FOX...

Originally posted by Illustronic

Originally posted by chr0naut

Originally posted by anon72
In fact, since the retirement of the shuttle fleet, it is currently the only human-rated ride into space on the planet.

I don't think so.

Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipOne

Retired after reaching an altitude of 62 miles, a third of the way up to the ISS and about 12,000 mph slower than orbital speed.

Ariane 5, never launched a manned mission.

The Long March 2F rocket launched the Shenzhou 7 into an initial elliptical orbit of 200 x 330 kilometres inclined at 42.4 degrees on 25 September 2008. About seven hours later the spacecraft raised its orbit to a more circular orbit of 330 x 336 km.

The ISS operates at 352 x 355 km up. Long March 6 and 7 are in developmental stages.

The U.S Navy doesn't launch manned crafts, the Boeing X-37B is a small unmanned orbiter space shuttle, and has been in it's second orbit since April.

There are many platforms to launch manned crafts into ISS LEO altitude, there just simply hasn't been one used yet.

edit on 29-8-2011 by Illustronic because: (no reason given)

Why hasn't the "Dragon" spacecraft from SpaceX been metioned? Especially since they actually have contracts with NASA to supply the space station.

On August 18, 2006, NASA announced that SpaceX had been chosen, along with Kistler Aerospace, to develop cargo launch services for the International Space Station. The plan called for three demonstration flights of SpaceX's Dragon capsule between 2008 and 2010. SpaceX may receive up to $278 million if they meet all NASA milestones. Kistler failed to meet its obligations with NASA, and its contract was terminated in 2007.[23][24][25] NASA decided to re-award Kistler's portion of the contract after a competition.[26] On February 19, 2008 NASA announced that it had chosen Orbital Sciences as the new winner.[27] NASA awarded a cargo delivery contract to SpaceX on December 23, 2008. The contract calls for a minimum of 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) of cargo over up to 12 flights to the ISS at a cost of $1.6 billion USD, with options that increase the maximum contract value to $3.1 billion.[28] The first of the three contracted demonstration flights was successfully flown on December 8, 2010.[29

On December 8, 2010, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying an unmanned SpaceX Dragon lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida on COTS Demo Flight 1. The launch was a success, and the Dragon cleanly separated from the Falcon approximately 10 minutes after launch. Three hours of orbital maneuvering testing were conducted at an altitude of 300 kilometres (190 mi; 160 nmi) before a deorbit burn was conducted, putting the Dragon on a re-entry course that ended in a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 800 kilometres (500 mi; 430 nmi) west of Mexico's Pacific coast.[35]

The Dragon spacecraft can carry up to seven passengers in crew configuration[8] or carry 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) and 24 m3 (850 cu ft) of payload, optionally extensible to 44 m3 (1,600 cu ft), to LEO in cargo configuration[8]
General specifications for the spacecraft that apply to both crew and cargo configurations include:
18 Draco thrusters,[38] dual-redun­dant in all axes: any two can fail and still have complete vehicle control in pitch, yaw, roll and translation.
PICA-X heat shield[38] designed to withstand Earth atmospheric reentry, even of return velocities from Lunar and Martian destinations.[5

Dragon Space Craft

Well, to escape all of this reality.....

The wife and I are going to see Apollo 18 this weekend.

That should put me in a better frame of mind. lol

UPDATED info: August 31, 2011:

NASA Prepares Evacuation of International Space Station
video.foxnews.com...

Getting very interesting. And tellingsome.....