Brazil did not supply the ELC's.
A module or transport vehicle is NOT required for Partner status. See Canada
But Canada has supplied the vast majority of the robotics on the station. It's pretty difficult to see how the ISS would have been completed without the combination of the Shuttle and Station robotic arms to move components and people around to various places on the station.
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
The ZOE is closed with the TDRSS Guam station
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
This is 180 degrees from what the Indians would accept. AFAIK, no one has ever "bought in" to participating in ISS.
Brazil did not supply the ELC's.
A module or transport vehicle is NOT required for Partner status. See Canada
But Canada has supplied the vast majority of the robotics on the station. It's pretty difficult to see how the ISS would have been completed without the combination of the Shuttle and Station robotic arms to move components and people around to various places on the station.
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
Why does it need to be a "but"? My point stands alone. There are other ways to contribute without a module or transport vehicle.
Will the proposed Indian manned spacecraft be able to dock with the ISS?
What is the proposed Indian manned spacecraft?
Wikipedia has a lot of info on the (ISRO) and their future proposed projects. Typing in "Indian Human Spaceflight Program" in your search window will give you promising hits; a long list of them.
If India wants to be a junior partner, I would suggest we allow them to buy in. How much does ISS operations cost each year ? Perhaps they ae willing to send a Billion or two of the revenue they received from outsourcing US jobs back to the US.
This is 180 degrees from what the Indians would accept. AFAIK, no one has ever "bought in" to participating in ISS.
The ISS doesn't need any new modules. If they started design / construction today, it wouldn't be complete until after the ISS was de-orbited. The ISS doesn't need more logistics flights, unless the ESA isn't going to supply additional ATVs.
But both the Russians, ESA, and North American space programs need cash.
What other materials/services do you propose they are capable of supplying in the near future ?
Well, good news! Hope it gets China (and thus the US) all upity and ready to spend more resources in space.
Coopetition.
Hope it gets China (and thus the US) all upity and ready to spend more resources in space.
Wishful thinking in the extreme. China is already building a space station, following plans they spelled out years ago. Indian participation in ISS is unlikely to affect this at all. Even if it did, some minor variation to the Chinese station plans wouldn't (and shouldn't) affect US space policy.
All this assuming that this "news" represents something significant at all, which is far from certain...
Hope it gets China (and thus the US) all upity and ready to spend more resources in space.
Wishful thinking in the extreme. China is already building a space station, following plans they spelled out years ago. Indian participation in ISS is unlikely to affect this at all. Even if it did, some minor variation to the Chinese station plans wouldn't (and shouldn't) affect US space policy.
All this assuming that this "news" represents something significant at all, which is far from certain...
Of course I know it's wishful thinking.
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
The ZOE is closed with the TDRSS Guam station
They still show the ZOE on the ISS ground track maps ... and they still consistently lose signal in that region ... so I'm not sure what you mean about the ZOE being closed ... still seems to be a major gap in coverage in that area ... and if India is going to be a partner ... I'd think they'd want that rectified ...
Maybe one of India's contributions to the ISS program could be to pay for an additional TDRSS to finally and forever close the ZOE gap over the Indian Ocean?
The ZOE is closed with the TDRSS Guam station
They still show the ZOE on the ISS ground track maps ... and they still consistently lose signal in that region ... so I'm not sure what you mean about the ZOE being closed ... still seems to be a major gap in coverage in that area ... and if India is going to be a partner ... I'd think they'd want that rectified ...
To add (perhaps) to what Jim said as an example, yesterday during the EVA the Station had S-band via TDRS-Z, while the orbiter had S-band and Ku-band through the same. Those were the periods where we only "had" live orbiter TV.
Some more detailed news on this:
"Recognising the research opportunities available on the International Space Station, both sides agreed to explore the possibilities of joint experiments," said a joint statement signed after the 2nd India-US Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna.
More here:
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/india-us-may-collaborate-on-iss-experiments/758981.html--------------------
Edit: Also, changed thread title to something more appropriate.
