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NASA May Hire Japanese Spacecraft For ISS Service Mission

schliz writes "NASA is talking to Japan's space agency about using one of its spacecraft for servicing missions to the International Space Station, according to Japanese media reports. NASA has been considering various options to maintain its commitment to the Space Station after the Space Shuttle is retired from service in 2010. According to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, 'unofficial negotiations' between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) began in February."

6 of 87 comments (clear)

  1. Forward-thinking rocket design by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I bet the damn thing will be a hybrid that gets great fuel mileage, has an onboard dancing robot, and ends up outselling all the American rocket companies within 10 years.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:Forward-thinking rocket design by tb()ne · · Score: 4, Funny

      I bet the damn thing will be a hybrid that gets great fuel mileage, has an onboard dancing robot, and ends up outselling all the American rocket companies within 10 years.

      And don't forget it comes with a standard 100,000,000 mile warrenty.

  2. Bad Idea by Illbay · · Score: 5, Funny

    Every time a Japanese spacecraft gets involved, it ends up bringing back space-spores that grow unnoticed behind the repair shed and then turn into those stop-action monster-thingies that level whole cities.

    Unless we hire and train a Space Patrol before the thing ever takes off, I think we should nix the whole idea.

    --
    Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
  3. Re:In return? by kellyb9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    What is Japan going to want in return for this?

    They'll probably want Irrigation and Iron Working in return. Possibly 40 gold pieces and a Defensive Pact. I'm sorry... I've been playing a lot of civ lately.

  4. Re:In return? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    They need advanced weaponry for the next time Godzilla attacks.

  5. Re:In return? by kellyb9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Haha this is one of the things I love about Slashdot, no matter how obscure the thing your referencing is, there are always people around to tell you you're wrong.