Lucky Thirteen On the ISS

Hugh Pickens writes "Things may get a little tight in space as seven shuttle astronauts blast off from Florida on June 13 to join up with six colleagues already on the International Space Station bringing the ISS contingent to thirteen, the largest number of individuals on the platform ever at one time. The 13 space-farers represent seven from the US, two each from Russia and Canada, and one each from Europe and Japan. '"I don't know what it's going to be like," says Endeavour commander Mark Polansky, a veteran of two prior spaceflights. "We know it's going to be challenging with 13 people aboard."' During five spacewalks, an external platform will be added to the lab which will enable those experiments to be performed that require materials to be exposed to the harsh environment of space and astronauts also have to fit equipment to the exterior of the platform such as batteries and a spare space-to-ground antenna."

Comments

Re:Need Another Seven Astronauts

[lordholm]

By the way, many people see Europe as a country to some extent. This includes not only a lot of Europeans, it also include a lot of people outside of Europe.

Besides, Frank de Bruin is working for the EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, not the Belgian space agency, so just what was wrong with saying he is from Europe when he is sent up for European taxpayers money?

Re:What's a European?

[lordholm]

I do not mind. I live in the Netherlands, have been living in the UK and is original from Stockholm and have a Belgian girlfriend.

I call my self European, I am pretty annoyed when people call me Swedish when this is clearly not how I feel. There is nothing more annoying than people calling Europeans by their statehood.

Europe is almost a country (it even has its own entry in the CIA world fact book because it has so many state like properties), and for any person who is not living here the EU is probably indistinguishable from a country, get used to it, this is the state of things right now.

Proud to be European!
Regards

Re:Need Another Seven Astronauts

[fbjon]

Identity. If a lot of people identify themselves as Europeans first, it would make sense to call it all a country, but most people don't (in my own obviously limited experience). I'm just saying that in the 27 years I've lived, I've never thought or heard anyone around here seriously think of Europe as a country, other than as a thought experiment, goal, or wishful thinking. I'm not saying it won't become a country at some point though, nor am I making a value judgment.

"Set of countries" is much more realistic, IMHO. Separate but united, sort of.