Planned EVA for Space Station Expedition 6 Crew

Kathy Miles writes "The International Space Station was boosted into a 3 mile higher orbit in preparation for an April 26 launch of TMA-2. The Soyuz capsule will carry two new crew members to the ISS for Expedition 7. Expedition 6 will return in May. And on April 8, there is a planned EVA for Expedition 6 crew of Commander Ken Bowerson and Science Officer Don Pettit. The two will be continuing the ongoing outfitting of the International Space Station."

Re:What we need?

[isorox]

space may be full of resources, but unlike the resources in India, we have NO way to get TO them, extract them, and send them back, in any sort of reasonable way.

Thats a limited view on what counts as a resource. Without the money that went into space exploration, we would not have satelites. We wouldnt have GPS, we would have trans-global phone calls, we wouldnt be able to talk to people in Antarctica (the guys that discovered the hole in the ozzone layer - that was pretty essential research given the cost), we wouldnt have satelite TV, we wouldnt have live news reports from the other side of the world, etc.

we've flushed TRILLIONS of dollars into space exploration

Wheres that money gone? Its paid peoples wages, its bought goods. It's stayed in the U.S. economy.

Whats it got out of it? Scratch resistant lenses, blood presure measurers, pacemakers. I suggest, as the other guy said, you should read up [cnn.com] on the medical benefits. The environmental/social benefits include things like the EPA [planetary.org], Greenpeace and Earth Day. Of course, theres Scores [google.co.uk] more [theguardians.com] benefits.

' Same thing goes for this moronic 'search for life'. I'm sure there IS life elsewhere in the galaxy. Will we ever find out or be able to do anything about it? Nope. Too far away. Who gives a crap

Lots of people actually, however SETI isnt government funded so thats not a valid argument.

What the HELL did going to the moon get us? ABSA-fucking-loutley NOTHING except a bunch of damn rocks sitting in a display case.

A picture of Earthrise. A realisation of how fragile our planet was. Also bragging rights over the USSR, which was important after they launched sputnik and Yuri first.

we've got damn good collaborative evidence that the speed of light is the end of the speedometer

So, sorry, I didnt realise that was you Mr. Hawking. The BPP [nasa.gov] is/was working on ways. Obviously its a long way off, but the potential might be there.

we're already doing that juuuuust fine in Iraq

Iraq, space exploration. I see the connection *rolls eyes*