Putin does us a favor.

[rubato]

Most of the ISS budget is a useless boondoggle kept alive by scientifically illiterate legislators; we will all be better off shifting those funds to something valuable.

http://www.vox.com/2014/5/13/5714650/ru ... ce-station

Russia is kicking NASA out of the International Space Station in 2020

Updated by Joseph Stromberg on May 13, 2014, 5:50 p.m. ET @josephstromberg joseph@vox.com

Vladmir Putin seems intent on dissolving the US-Russia space relationship. Aleksey Nikolskyi/AFP/Getty Images


On Tuesday, Russia announced that starting in 2020, it will no longer allow NASA astronauts on the International Space Station, in retaliation for sanctions levied by the US because of Russia's invasion of Crimea.

How can Russia bar American astronauts from a station that both countries own? Simple. Right now, NASA relies on Russian rockets to get its astronauts to and from space, paying them $70.7 million for each one-way ticket.

"NasA relies on russian rockets to get its astronauts to and from space"

The surprising announcement won't affect the US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts currently aboard the International Space Station, orbiting about 260 miles above Earth's surface, or the future missions there planned over the next few years.

But the most recent plans were for the station to operate at least until 2024. Now, with Russia angered by the sanctions — especially those blocking high-tech exports that might help the Russian military — that no longer seems to be possible.

If these tensions don't resolve by 2020, things could really get messy in space. Private American space companies are hoping to have their own transport systems in place by then — so NASA could theoretically access the station on its own — but Russia is claiming that its space agency, Roscosmos, would try to operate its portion of the station without NASA involvement.

"The Russian segment can exist independently from the American one. The US one cannot," Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said during the announcement. ... "

This is turning out very well indeed!


That Bush-man is awfully good at seeing things that aren't there:

"... Bush was telling reporters that he'd looked into Putin's eyes and "got a sense of his soul." ... "

Sees WMD in Iraq, and now a Soul in Putin! Religious people are always having 'visions'.

yrs,
rubato

[Big RR]

but Russia is claiming that its space agency, Roscosmos, would try to operate its portion of the station without NASA involvement.

Somehow I get the picture of a space station with a big chalk line drawn down the middle of it, and the Russian side having all the bathrooms or kitchen.

[Lord Jim]

The "favor" he's done us is provide the US with the incentive to vastly accelerate the development of a new US manned space vehicle, that will be ready for use as soon as possible...

The fact that we haven't had one since the retirement of the space shuttle, for the first time since the early 60's, is a national embarrassment and disgrace.

The nation that landed men on the moon relying on the Russians to move personnel even in to low earth orbit?

Shameful.

[Lord Jim]

"... Bush was telling reporters that he'd looked into Putin's eyes and "got a sense of his soul." ... "

Yeah, and when Romney called Russia "our greatest adversary", Obama showed his understanding of Putin by mocking him for it in a debate...("The 80's called; they want their foreign policy back..."yuck yuck yuck)

And remember the "re-set button"?

As I've pointed out before, both this administration and the previous one share the collective blame for sticking their heads in the sand regarding the nature and intentions of Vladimir Putin. This has been a 100% bipartisan failure.

But the responsibility for finally doing something about it obviously falls to the Administration in power and thus far the actions they've taken have been far from encouraging...

[Big RR]

Jim--while I generally agree with you, I do think there has to be a serious reconsideration of all the things our government funds and what we get from it in return; after all, few people will argue we can do everything that everyone wants. While it appears it didn't work out well this time, I don't think the idea of pairing up with another nation to share the costs of scientific development and discovery is either shameful or an embarrassment, anymore than the fact that much of our drug discovery is done through international companies working in many countries, often with some governmental grants at the outset. IMHO, multinational efforts and funding is always an idea worth considering.

Growing up when I did, I have always been struck by the lure of space travel and discovery, and I'd hate to see it end. But if we take the idea of getting the budget under control seriously, it must be on the block and debated without all the hyperbole.

[dgs49]

"Starting in 2020..."

Are you shitting me? These fuckers don't know what they are going to be faced with tomorrow afternoon, let alone 6 years from now.

[Lord Jim]

I don't think the idea of pairing up with another nation to share the costs of scientific development and discovery is either shameful or an embarrassment

Big RR, if that's what you think I said, then I must have expressed myself inartfully...

I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with the US " pairing up with another nation (or multiple nations) to share the costs of scientific development and discovery"...

In fact I would encourage this; even in situations where it might involve "pairing up" with odious and unreliable partners, (like Putin's Russia or the PRC...even during The Cold War we did this to a limited extent with the Soviets.)

But "sharing the cost of scientific development" is one thing; making ourselves dependent for a mission critical part of US participation in a joint endeavor (like the transport of our personnel) reliant upon the good graces of the Putin regime being willing to let our astronauts thumb a ride with their low orbit manned lift vehicles is quite another...

The fact that we do not have (nor do we seem to have any plan for soon possessing) that specific capacity ourselves, is what I call "Shameful" "Disgraceful" and "Embarrassing"...

To which I would add "appalling"...

I would also add however, that Dave makes a legitimate point...

Given Putin's choice of the year 2020, (six years from now) and his tying it to the "sanctions" we have imposed thus far, it's more like he's mocking those sanctions, (which he does regularly, openly) and is trying to make some sort of a joke, just to publicly rub our nose in the fact that we need his goodwill to even be able to get our astronauts to the space station...