[rs79bm]

"I'm concerned about the astronauts up in the space station. We can't leave them there indefinitely, nor can we abandon the facility. "

This was the quote I was attempting to answer. I must have pasted the wrong quote.

We'll have to get Discovery or Atlantis up there eventually to get them back. We'll be able to do it.

[Movemout]

There is a Soyuz attached to ISS as a lifeboat. They will probably launch another for backup when they evacuate the crew. It could spell the end for ISS because the shuttle is used to boost the orbit of ISS periodically. It is in a low enough orbit that there is drag from molecular oxygen that exists at that altitude and the effects of gravity.

[CyberAnt]

Space station has a Russian space capsule which they can use for "escape" in case of emergency.