Cosmonaut criticizes "safe haven" plan
Posted: Sat, Feb 5, 2005, 9:46 AM ET (1446 GMT)
A Russian cosmonaut who will be a member of the next long-duration International Space Station crew said Thursday he isn't sure that the station can serve as a "safe haven" should a shuttle be unable to return to Earth. Sergei Krikalev. who will command Expedition 11 starting in late April, said he has asked NASA to cut the size of STS-114, the first post-Columbia shuttle mission, from seven to four. Krikalev said that if the shuttle suffers damage during ascent and cannot return to Earth, it would be possible to return the shuttle and station crews to Earth on two Soyuz capsules, one of which would already be docked to the station. Otherwise, a rescue would require the combined nine-person crew to survive on the station for weeks until a rescue shuttle could be launched. NASA officials said they intend to keep a seven-person crew on STS-114.
A Russian cosmonaut who will be a member of the next long-duration International Space Station crew said Thursday he isn't sure that the station can serve as a "safe haven" should a shuttle be unable to return to Earth. Sergei Krikalev. who will command Expedition 11 starting in late April, said he has asked NASA to cut the size of STS-114, the first post-Columbia shuttle mission, from seven to four. Krikalev said that if the shuttle suffers damage during ascent and cannot return to Earth, it would be possible to return the shuttle and station crews to Earth on two Soyuz capsules, one of which would already be docked to the station. Otherwise, a rescue would require the combined nine-person crew to survive on the station for weeks until a rescue shuttle could be launched. NASA officials said they intend to keep a seven-person crew on STS-114.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA to launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in September
Posted: Sat, Apr 25 10:54 AM ET (1454 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, April 26
OCCAM Space and The Exploration Company Partner on Separation System for Nyx Capsule
Occam Space — 11:55 am ET (1555 GMT) New simulations reveal the cold, dusty reality of galaxy formation
Netherlands Research School for Astronomy — 11:55 am ET (1555 GMT) MDA Space unveils space control platform MDA Midnight™, designed to defend and protect the space domain
PR Newswire — 11:54 am ET (1554 GMT) Voyager Unlocks Satellite Propulsion Production at Scale
Voyager Space — 11:53 am ET (1553 GMT) Sceye Completes Historic 12-Day, 6,400 Mile Stratospheric Flight, Advancing a New Layer of Infrastructure for Humanity
PR Newswire — 11:51 am ET (1551 GMT) |
