NASA may need Russian flights longer than expected
America's space program may remain grounded longer than expected, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden told Congress.
Mar 14, 2012
After the retirement of the space shuttle, NASA experts had predicted that the agency would need to buy transport on Russian space vehicles through 2016. Now, however, that reliance on Russia will continue beyond early estimates.
Given current funding levels," Bolden said in written testimony to the House Science Committe, "we anticipate the need to purchase [Russian] crew transportation and rescue capabilities into 2017."
While NASA remains adamant in its plans to fund the development of commercial space vehicles, outsourcing some types of space flight to American companies, Congress isn't quite so sure. This year, Congress whacked NASA's requested $800 million by 50%, leaving just $400 million for the commercial space program.
The thrust toward commercial "space taxis" conflicts with NASA development of larger launch and flight vehicles, as well as long-range space exploration, Congressional critics maintain. While the debate rages, NASA has been working on extending the agreements with Russia to buy spaceflights, Bolden said.
Bolden has acknowledged that commercial space taxis to the International Space Station (ISS) may not be in service as early as hoped.
NASA and commercial space providers may not have the ".. capability in time to support the space station" before its currently scheduled retirement in 2020." Bolden said.
NASA's next generation spacecraft, the Orion, is still in development. Its first test flight is scheduled for 2014.
Orion will launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., and perform two orbits, reaching an altitude higher than any achieved by a spacecraft intended for human use since 1973 during the Apollo program. Like Apollo spacecraft, the Orion crew capsule will land on water, in the Pacific Ocean.
The EFT-1 flight will take Orion to an altitude of more than 3,600 miles, more than 15 times farther away from Earth than the International Space Station. Orion will return home at a speed almost 5,000 miles per hour faster than any current human spacecraft.
It will test the kind of return that will be required when astronauts come home from voyages beyond low Earth orbit. As Orion reenters the atmosphere, it will endure temperatures almost 2,000 degrees F., higher than any human spacecraft since astronauts returned from the Moon.
Source URL: http://www.examiner.com/science-for-everyday-life-in-national/nasa-may-need-soviet-flights-longer-than-expected
Given current funding levels," Bolden said in written testimony to the House Science Committe, "we anticipate the need to purchase [Russian] crew transportation and rescue capabilities into 2017."
While NASA remains adamant in its plans to fund the development of commercial space vehicles, outsourcing some types of space flight to American companies, Congress isn't quite so sure. This year, Congress whacked NASA's requested $800 million by 50%, leaving just $400 million for the commercial space program.
The thrust toward commercial "space taxis" conflicts with NASA development of larger launch and flight vehicles, as well as long-range space exploration, Congressional critics maintain. While the debate rages, NASA has been working on extending the agreements with Russia to buy spaceflights, Bolden said.
Bolden has acknowledged that commercial space taxis to the International Space Station (ISS) may not be in service as early as hoped.
NASA and commercial space providers may not have the ".. capability in time to support the space station" before its currently scheduled retirement in 2020." Bolden said.
NASA's next generation spacecraft, the Orion, is still in development. Its first test flight is scheduled for 2014.
Orion will launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., and perform two orbits, reaching an altitude higher than any achieved by a spacecraft intended for human use since 1973 during the Apollo program. Like Apollo spacecraft, the Orion crew capsule will land on water, in the Pacific Ocean.
The EFT-1 flight will take Orion to an altitude of more than 3,600 miles, more than 15 times farther away from Earth than the International Space Station. Orion will return home at a speed almost 5,000 miles per hour faster than any current human spacecraft.
It will test the kind of return that will be required when astronauts come home from voyages beyond low Earth orbit. As Orion reenters the atmosphere, it will endure temperatures almost 2,000 degrees F., higher than any human spacecraft since astronauts returned from the Moon.
Source URL: http://www.examiner.com/science-for-everyday-life-in-national/nasa-may-need-soviet-flights-longer-than-expected