The 33 day deadline in the article seems a bit artificial to me - you don't need to launch another space shuttle before the consumables run out, instead you could launch an unmanned Russian Progress to resupply the ISS with more food and oxygen. As this is unmanned, doing it in a hurry does not endanger further crew. Any ideas as to why this isn't included in the plan?
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The 33 day deadline in the article seems a bit artificial to me - you don't need to launch another space shuttle before the consumables run out, instead you could launch an unmanned Russian Progress to resupply the ISS with more food and oxygen. As this is unmanned, doing it in a hurry does not endanger further crew. Any ideas as to why this isn't included in the plan?
More detail availiable at http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/98/20/11085.pdf