International Space Station Turns Two

RedWolves2 writes "Today is ISS's second anniversary of Operations. Two years ago today NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev first boarded the ISS. In two years the station has grown to more then 200,000 pounds and has had 112 visitors."

Comments

Re:Whats it for?

[Pooua]

I like to think of our space efforts, in general,

It's good that you said in general, because Items 1 through 6 you listed are only true of *other* space projects, not the ISS.

1) Research Investements It looks increasingly unlikely that any significant research will ever be performed on the ISS; extremely unlikely that $100 billion dollars-worth of research will be. What research is done probably could have been done more cheaply by other means.

2) Engineering Investments

OK, we have a works program, which is actually corporate welfare.

3) Inspirational Exploration

I think we need to get our inspiration along more practical lines.

4) Inspirational Art

5) Occasionally Profitable

ISS is never going to be profitable.

and for the space station in particular,

6) The one place Americans have restrained themselves and not taken "unilateral action".

That could be a reason that the project is such a gross waste of money, time and effort.