Posted on 09/22/2005 8:56:22 AM PDT by Dan Evans
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate approved Sept. 21 a bill that would clear the way for NASA to buy the Russian Soyuz vehicles it needs to continue to occupy the International Space Station beyond this year.
The bill was introduced Sept. 15 by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) to provide temporary relief from provisions in the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000 that bar U.S. purchases of Russian human spaceflight hardware as long as Russia continues to help Iran in its pursuit of nuclear know-how and advanced weapons technology.
Lugar’s bill, S. 1713, changes the law to permit NASA to buy any Russian space hardware or services it needs for the International Space Station program until 2012.
The bill was approved the morning of Sept. 21 by unanimous consent, a Senate procedure that allows non-controversial legislation to bypass a floor vote.
The U.S. House of Representatives also is considering amending the Iran Nonproliferation Act to permit NASA to buy Soyuz vehicles, but it has yet to take any legislative action.
The House could either pick up and pass the Senate’s bill or introduce a bill of its own that would have to be reconciled with the Senate version before becoming law.
Without relief from the Iran act, NASA could soon find itself unable to send its astronauts to the space station for extended stays. A Soyuz capsule set to carry a new two-person crew – and one space tourist – to the station Sept. 30 is the last one Russia is obligated to provide at no charge to the United States under a bilateral agreement.
NASA and the U.S. State Department formally asked Congress in June to amend the Iran act to permit the United States to make use of Russian space technology in its space exploration plans.
Why is it embarassing?
It's not like the Russians are novices in space.
Soon we'll be outsourcing the government?
ping
Tangently related; anyone ever see the Russian version of the FamiCom (NES to us in the states)? It's the ugliest thing I'd ever seen. The Russians have no sense of asthetics.
Why is it embarassing?
It's not like the Russians are novices in space.
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What is embarassing is that WE should be able to do this by our selves. Instead NASA is stuck on stupid because of top heavy thinking. NASA needs to get out of the administration mode and let the engineers loose!
I'm no big fan of NASA but if they can find something better and cheaper, let them do it.
Gov't doesn't exist to "create jobs," contrary to what many Republicans think.
Don't know what nonproliferation of Iran has to do with Soyuz, but, the House has lower qualifications for membership.
NASA didn't learn that after Challenger. I doubt it will happen now.
*sigh* Looks like the end of an era.
It's embarrassing because we should be making our own spacecraft and because NASA is considering doing business with a regime that is doing joint military exercises with China.
Buying Russian spaceships? Why, is there a shortage of cast iron in this country?
America used to be the leader in final frontier technology. Now we've been reduced to buying equipment from our competitor. It's embarassing.
NASA was created to develop our aerospace technology not to develop Russia's aerospace technology.
"Soon we'll be outsourcing the government?"
We already ARE....with the signing of EVERY new "TREATY"....such as GATT, CAFTA, amd NAFTA.
Just shut NASA down - this organization is a national disgrace and continues to be a shame for all Americans.
Shut it down.
Start over.
Let the private sector do it - if the government want to play - then write checks and demand results.
There goes that giant sucking sound again, and no, that sound is not caused by an american built rocket. This time it is rocket scientists losing their jobs. The outsourcing continues. [sigh]
Groovy. The Chinese built Long March launch vehicle can be substituted for all U.S. launch vehicles; it works OK, most of the time. They can now orbit people too. That works most of the time as well. What's a little wreck or two occasionally? The U.S. does it.
Hell, they can build and fly pretty much anything we can, given a couple of years to copy something. Why slow them down, for that matter? Just hand over the blueprints, let them do it all - military space, aeronautics, everything! It'll all be "cheaper".
And we can get bureaucrats and politicians real cheap from them while we're at it - why not government by the Chinese Communists? They're efficient, hard working, effective at what they do (they don't waste time with niceties like "Trial by Jury" and other silly Anglo-Saxon concepts). Everything for a guy like you to be happy about!
Don't Worry, Be Happy! Surrender to your new ChiCom Contract government! You'll be happy you did....
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