NASA Considers Abandoning ISS 543
mbstone writes "MSNBC is reporting that NASA is threatening to mothball the International Space Station unless Russia coughs up its share of the money for maintenance and support missions. NASA is now making "contingency plans" to leave the station unoccupied for as long as a year. What I want to know is, why a contingency plan? Didn't NASA already have a plan in place? Are U.S. taxpayers going to pay millions extra to develop new mothballing equipment and procedures that could have been designed-in at far less cost?? Also, I would be glad to house-sit, I use very little oxygen."
If NASA is serious (Score:3, Funny)
Dangerous? (Score:2, Funny)
I hope none of those space-moths make it down here, they sound like nasty little blighters.
Re:If NASA is serious (Score:3, Funny)
Was I the only one... (Score:4, Funny)
Now I *know* I've been reading slashdot too long.
Still believe in that thing? (Score:4, Funny)
Cant get blood from a stone... (Score:2, Funny)
I mean, buying or creating the technology is one thing, but maintaining and supporting it is another.
That's why russian submarines end up at the bottom of the ocean (or sold to a cocaine smuggler), and their nuclear plants meltdown and irradiate hundreds of square miles.
They may as well ask Eithiopia to cough up their share.
Re:If NASA is serious (Score:3, Funny)
Or they could use them to test re-entry angles
What about the science!!! (Score:0, Funny)
Re:Charge people 100 Million a week to live on the (Score:3, Funny)
IN SOVIET RUSSIA (Score:0, Funny)
Obligatory Simpsons Quote (Score:2, Funny)
The real question (Score:2, Funny)
Better living through elasticity.
America is suffering from a loss of vision (Score:0, Funny)
If you ever read classic science fiction from the 1950's, you can feel America's pulse, we were going to conquer space, we were going to colonize orbit, the Moon, Mars, we were going to spread humanity through the Solar System, and eventually the galay. Somehow, in the last 30 years this changed.
Nowadays, Americans want comfort and safety, real heroism is lacking. We'll spend millions on designing a better recliner, with built in cat5 ports and a refrigerator. We'll spend millions on keeping people from smoking cigarettes, ignoring the fact that God gave people free will to decide for themselves. And then, because the budget has been spent on frivolous mandates like family-destroying welfare, we'll give up on space.
I, for one, blame the permissive 60's. Too many baby boomers ruined their mind on hallucinogens, and lost the courage and faith of their forefathers. Now, unless they're guaranteed 100 percent safety and comfort, these boomers won't have anything to do with it. Take NASA's money and spend it on Social Security so I can still rock to the Doors and drive my SUV when I'm 80. Greedy bastards.
What can we do to reclaim America's spirit? I don't think it's a coincidence that America's only Catholic president got us to the Moon. Yes, when you're involved in the True Church [vatican.va], you know that despite all your efforts, Death will get you, so it's better to be in orbit and die in a meteor shower, or die of a pressure suit leak on the Moon, than cravenly hiding in a planned retirement home.
America, let's get back to the Moon, let's go to Mars, and let's bring the Jesuits!
mothballing? Is that like... (Score:3, Funny)
Two guys are sitting in a bar, and one says "you know, I kind of like the smell of mothballs."
The other guy replies "How to you get their little legs apart?"
I hate when nouns are turned into verbs.
Nah, just charge them 100 thousand - but.... (Score:5, Funny)
First flight - Michael Jackson, Rosie O'donnell, Jack Valenti, and Hilary Rosen.
Re:What... (Score:2, Funny)
In Soviet Russia, SpaceStation abandons You!
Re:commercialism (Score:4, Funny)
You can't take 1000 people there at $10000 a head. NASA would need to find, say, 10 people willing to pay $1000000, and they're a much more rare.
If they'll take a cheque from me and promise not to try cashing it until after I land, can I go?
Just stick a couple of antennas on it... (Score:2, Funny)
Skylab II - (FLAMEBAIT!) (Score:1, Funny)
The great American empire should have an orbital battlestation ^H^H^H^H solar power satellite worthy of its might. If we had actually heeded our great NAZI leaders like von Braun and Reagan, Mars wouldn't be the red planet today.
Re:commercialism (Score:3, Funny)
It's just so darned expensive that probably only giant companies could even consider the whole field. Companies like... Oh, God. I just had a horrible thought:
Microsoft Space Station.
Just imagine it in that insidiously friendly font they always use... *Shudder*
Re:commercialism (Score:5, Funny)
Re:If NASA is serious (Score:5, Funny)
They (russians) just lost a comm satellite yesterday, launched it into LEO (low earth orbit), insted of GSO (geo-stationary orbit).
Mind you, when it comes flaming back into the atmosphere and kills some cow in Auckland, it'll be geo-stationary.
Re:you're right.... (Score:4, Funny)
Why mothball? (Score:2, Funny)
What if MTV were to purchase it? (Score:3, Funny)
James gets angry as Kara's juice is always floating towards him due to his large gravitational effect. Rick and Julio's ongoing power struggle leads to the inevitable...taking it outside.
Money Problems Solved (Score:2, Funny)
Tune in next week … (Score:3, Funny)
Re:requires companies to think long term (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Exposure to vacuum (Score:1, Funny)
Seriously, though, radiation leakage for a human at 305 K isn't quite as bad as one might think.
I've got the perfect solution... (Score:4, Funny)
Just think - Earth could be N'Sync free for a whole year and NASA would have somebody to water the plants.