All true but where the Russians are really going to make their money is the charge for an extra bag. Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "Canopus56" <canopus56@yahoo.com> To: "Utah Astronomy List Serv" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 9, 2011 5:22:24 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Discovery Robert wrote:

what's next? . . . . Do we spend the next several years reading about Russian, Chinese and Indian space odysseys

Yep, we are going to be hitching a ride with the Russians for the next few years due to the Shuttle ``Gap'' problem.  ``Hitching'' is the wrong word.  We are renting seats on Soyuz at 51 million USD for each astronaut. http://en.rian.ru/science/20090529/155116544.html - consistent with the Augustine Report (pp. 51-53) view of the Shuttle ``Gap'' problem: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/396093main_HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf NASA is working on a replacement multi-purpose vehicle - Multi-purpose vehicle program review Jan 2011 http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/510449main_SLS_MPCV_90-day_Report.pdf Human Space Exploration Framework Report Feb. 2011 (unintelligible - kaf) http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/525162main_HEFT_Final_Brief_508_20110309.pdf The current 2011 NASA budget includes funds to develop the multi-purpose LEO-exploration Orion type vehicle. http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/516651main_NASA_FY12_Budget-Exploration.pdf http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/index.html After defunding ATK in northern Utah last year, I don't know what booster they are planning to put the multipurpose capsule on. The ISS was originally scheduled for decommissioning (with de-orbiting) in 2015.  The international committee of space agencies that run the ISS are pushing to extend its operating life to 2020 - Heads-of-Agency Statement March 11, 2010 http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/mar/HQ_10-063_HOA_statement.html. Too bad Bush W. nixed the development of the mini-space plane replacement back in 2001, which would have been tested in western Utah.  The unmanned version is the X-37B OTV space plane that we were watching orbit last year. If Bush hadn't nixed the manned version, we would already have a manned flight replacement up and running at least for LEO and the ISS.   http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/5127 - Clear Skies - Kurt        _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com