I have to agree with you.
Big waste of cash. Why do they call it the International Space Station when we are footing the majority of the bill.
It should be the United States Space Station with the International Food Court Annex.
"Big waste of cash. Why do they call it the International Space Station when we are footing the majority of the bill. It should be the United States Space Station with the International Food Court Annex."
Back in the early 90's, CONGRESS demanded changes to the program. CONGRESS ran the cost of the station up, then insisted that we get Russia involved. That was a great idea (unbelievably heavy sarcasm).
We had to go back and re-design ALL of the station electronics for heavy radiation sheilding, because getting Russia involved meant launching from a much higher latitude, thereby seriously increasing exposure in the radiation belts that surround earth. It's an orbital mechanics thing.
A lot of the external viewpoints people have of NASA are flat wrong. We work in OLD buildings with 1960's era infrastructure. I work in Huntsville. Many people would be SHOCKED at how rundown the center is.
Budgets are constantly being pared back.
Most all of the problems with the overall space plan is political. There are thousands of engineers that want to design and build newer and more efficient space craft, but the arena has become so politicized, most down give a crap anymore. Work on a program 6 months, get your funding pulled because Congress cuts the budget. 6 months of work wasted.