Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

US Senate Allows NASA To Buy Soyuz Vehicles

Posted by Zonk on from the maintenance-in-spaaaaace dept.

arc.light writes "According to a report at Space.com, the US Senate voted to allow NASA to buy Russian Soyuz vehicles for the purpose of servicing the International Space Station. Because Russia continues to assist Iran with its nuclear energy and ballistic missile programs, NASA would otherwise not be allowed to buy Russian hardware by the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000. The US House of Representatives still needs to give its approval before NASA can make such a purchase."

3 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. What? by bogaboga · · Score: 4, Informative
    I remember one NASA official saying to the effect that the Soyuz being decades old technology, is no good for any serious American use, despite its very good performance record! We now are about to buy this hardware? Give me a break...! Oh wait...the Soyuz has had a near 100% perfect operation since inception; better than any US hardware.

    I remember one US plane that had to be transported from China in a Russian Antonov-124. The US did not have any aircraft that was up to the task! How long shall we have to rely on so called "third world economies" to achieve our goals?

    Why doesn't this [Bush] administration pay Americans to build these Soyuz like crafts instead of simply buying?

  2. Re:Sad state of our National space program by Richard_at_work · · Score: 5, Informative

    Old Russian space capsules? You mean the ones that have been supplying the ISS for the past 2 and a half years? Oh those ones eh? Just because they have the same name doesnt mean they use the same technology, the current generation of Soyuz, the TM, first flew in 1986 and has had several updates since then. These are far from 1960s relics.

  3. Re:Sad state of our National space program by bogaboga · · Score: 3, Informative

    Tell the parent that these [Soyuz] vehicles have had a near perfect record during their operation - better than anything the US has ever developed. When a Soyuz is launched, there is near 100% certainty that they will reach their intended destination and return without problems. Now, contrast that with the so called latest and most advanced US technology.