Space station could be temporarily abandoned in November
 

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/statio...27unmannedops/

Welcome to the 21st century when we were supposed to have thousands of people living on orbit. Welcome to the 21st century when we were supposed to have regular missions to asteroids, Moon and Mars... and we can't even keep a permanent presence on artificial island 300kms above our heads...

The future ain't what it used to be. :down:

I wouldn't be so harsh with either side. That's alot of Software and Hardware to make everything happen in an instant at the same time a World apart.

Get them home and look this Over a lot more Closely with a little less Secrecy

The first article mentioned the possibility of delaying the Soyuz September 22 launch. Well; now it's official.

Russia postpones new manned space station mission

http://us.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/...html?hpt=hp_t2

That still leaves the possibility of not abandoning the International Space Station open, but does cast a shade more doubt.

If only we had some sort of vehicle that could have reached it, and carried the needed supplies...

Yeaaah. Something reusable with delta wings and a retractable arm and generous cargo capacity.

Nah. That was our old future. :D

We should have maintained the capability to launch at least one until we had something besides the Soyuz ready to step in if needed. Single point of failure, etc.

Reusable: Check
Delta Wings: Check
Retractable Arm: Check
Generous Cargo Capacity: Double Check! :yeah:

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/7545/buran.jpg

Yea that future would have been awesome... :hmmm:

Well, I hope the retired US shuttles can avoid the former Soviet Union's one fate of being buried and destroyed under tons of rubble in a cosmodrome due to an earthquake. That was a sad end. :cry:

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question...-wreckage2.jpg

You sure about that?

Orbiter, only used once. Needs new paint. Includes hangar:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/pict...pictureid=4815


Edit:
*muttering something about Torplexed not having to download and resize his picture*

Yep, she was used twice. 1st as a spacecraft... and 2nd to hold up the roof of an old hanger...

That's Russian versatility comrade! :yeah:

I just have a feeling we could strap a Russian space pod to a Delta rocket or something like that.

But no, Komrade, circle pod too advanced to let Amerikanski's use in place of space plane.

This reminds me of a documentary I watched awhile ago about the Dark Ages and how discouraging it must have been to see crumbling Roman ruins like aqua ducts and not even have the skill to keep them in repair, let alone build more.

How are they planning to get the present space station crew back down if the Russians can't fix Soyuz?

There are presently two Soyuz craft docked with the ISS for crew departure purposes. However, they have a limited time they can remain safely rated for use in space due to an expiration date of 200 days. Beyond that the type of fuel (hydrogen peroxide I think?) they use begins to deteriorate.

Well, if the European Space Agency get moving and get the manned version of the ATV built, then there would be less reliance on the Russians, and it would give NASA more time to get a new orbiter/launch craft built.

Lol with what funding?

NASA has more experience with large payload and manned launches than anyone else. The ESA and Russia should be paying THEM to build a new craft.