NASA orders FOUR Russian Spacecrafts

[Flightstar]

Expect Griffin to absolutely insist of a HSM.

[SRBseparama]

Ok, so can anyone say what this could be all about if NASA is planning to launch four, six and six launches over the next three years? Why do they need these four ships from Russia?

[Dobbins]

SRBseparama - 11/11/2005  1:01 PM

Ok, so can anyone say what this could be all about if NASA is planning to launch four, six and six launches over the next three years? Why do they need these four ships from Russia?

One of the details missing from the story is when NASA will be using them. If the STS program does end at the end of FY2010 and the CEV isn't ready until 2012 then NASA will be needing the Soyuz capsules in that time frame. Otherwise they would be spending a lot of Money to finish the ISS and not have a way to get to it for two years.

[Dogsbd]

Dobbins raises some very good points, I don't theink there is any reason to read more into this than what there really is.

[gladiator1332]

That is a good point. 2010 is almost 4 years away. That's not that much time when it comes to NASA and other space programs. And the Russians are pretty busy with Soyuz, so it makes sense to give them four years notice on our order.

[Dobbins]

gladiator1332 - 11/11/2005  2:19 PM

That is a good point. 2010 is almost 4 years away. That's not that much time when it comes to NASA and other space programs. And the Russians are pretty busy with Soyuz, so it makes sense to give them four years notice on our order.

If this had been an order for something like 10 Soyuz capsules and 10 Progress capsules, then there would be a cause for alarm. That would point towards an early termination of the STS or a delay in the CEV. An order of this size fits right in with what NASA said when they asked for an amendment to the INA, a need to fill the gap between the last Shuttle flight in 2010 and the first CEV flight in 2012.

[CuddlyRocket]

And don't forget that NASA needs to pay its share of future Soyuz flights in order to get US astronauts in the permanent ISS crew.  Shuttles only stay there for a few days, and any permanent crew need to be able to return on the Soyuz if there is an accident etc.

There was a barter system in place between the Russians and NASA regarding crew rotation flights and supply flights, the Russians utilising Soyuz/Progress and NASA the Shuttle. With the Shuttle grounded, the Russians have now provided what they agreed to NASA, who have to pay for anything further.

[Martin FL]

Like others I think we need to hear more from NASA on the purpose of these purchases. All I've seen so far is Griffin say they are able to go ahead with it. Purpose and logistics of these Russian ships is the next interesting thing I'd like to hear.

[gladiator1332]

I also wonder who the crew members will be, will they be all American crews, or will there be a cosmonaut on board as well.

[Dogsbd]

I expect never to see an all American Soyuz crew.

[Dobbins]

gladiator1332 - 11/11/2005  9:12 PM

I also wonder who the crew members will be, will they be all American crews, or will there be a cosmonaut on board as well.

This is just a guess. I would say a seat swap arrangement where a US astronaut gets a ride on two Soyuz capsules that Russia pays for and a Cosmonaut gets a ride on the two Soyuz capsules the US pays for. That would fit the pattern of ISS crews to date.

[realtime]

Dogsbd - 11/11/2005  1:35 PM

Dobbins raises some very good points, I don't theink there is any reason to read more into this than what there really is.

We are pattern-matching apes.  It is how we survived for the past 3 million years.  Sometimes the ability to draw conclusions gets in the way of drawing conclusions.

[Avron]

realtime - 12/11/2005  1:00 AM

Dogsbd - 11/11/2005  1:35 PM

Dobbins raises some very good points, I don't theink there is any reason to read more into this than what there really is.

We are pattern-matching apes.  It is how we survived for the past 3 million years.  Sometimes the ability to draw conclusions gets in the way of drawing conclusions.

Far to early to draw any conclusions.. the pattern of the past in terms of a Nasa admin are a changing.. there is clearly a plan, that has not been fully laid out yet.

Then again Anik indicated it takes over two years to get a ship bulit so an order now, assuming there is no other ships in production ( and we know that is not true) would take at least two years and a lot will unfold over that time.

I look at the order as an insurance package right now.