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NASA May Hire Japanese Spacecraft For ISS Service Mission

Posted by timothy on from the gudgilla-power dept.

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."

8 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.

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    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  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. Guts and Glory by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Japan could get in return valuable space operations experience, and first rate publicity for their space program which should help them get more of their own domestic funding.

    Just like NASA gets.

    This is the International Space Station. All the science is published. All the different nations get to develop and test their space tech in (and orbiting) the real world. They get to test interop with the global space industry. They get the glory of high profile missions featured on US, and then international, TV.

    The US already takes the risk of leading this project. It already is the guarantor of funding, and pays most of the bills. Why should Japan get paid to get the same benefits the US has to pay to get?

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    --
    make install -not war

  4. This is not true, according to NASA by casualsax3 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/22/content_8742715.htm

  5. 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.

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

    They need advanced weaponry for the next time Godzilla attacks.

  7. 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.

  8. Uhm...think again... by mastallama · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, NASA has said they're not going to use Japan. http://www.livescience.com/blogs/author/tariqmalik/