NASA May Hire Japanese Spacecraft For ISS Service Mission

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."

Forward-thinking rocket design

[elrous0]

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.

Re:Forward-thinking rocket design

[tb()ne]

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.

And don't forget it comes with a standard 100,000,000 mile warrenty.

Bad Idea

[Illbay]

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 [tesco.net] before the thing ever takes off, I think we should nix the whole idea.

Re:In return?

[kellyb9]

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.

Re:In return?

[Anonymous Coward]

They need advanced weaponry for the next time Godzilla attacks.

Re:In return?

[Illbay]

Well, we tried that, but all the Japanese ambassador would say is "That's not going to happen."

Re:In return?

[kellyb9]

The benevolent Americans demand that you give us Space Flight and Atomic Theory or else we will have to crush your puny civilization!

Re:In return?

[abstract daddy]

I'm sure they already have, like, a robotic schoolgirl who launches radioactive explosive panties from an arm cannon.

Re:In return?

[ianare]

more like genetic engineering or stealth ... if they need iron working I doubt they would have rocketry !!

Re:In return?

[kellyb9]

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.

Re:In return?

[Wiarumas]

Ironically enough, all they asked for was for Spike to take Most Extreme Elimination Challenge off the air.

More Offshoring?

[feedayeen]

Another industry offshores off to Asia.

Re:Forward-thinking rocket design

[AioKits]

Will the astronauts (cosmonauts) have to wear skimpy revealing space suits now that are color coordinated to their jobs?

Re:In return?

[m.ducharme]

Yoshimi, is that you?

Re:In return?

[CodeBuster]

One funny thing I remember from Civ III was the fact that while the laser was a required civilization advance for the space ship, it was only needed to construct "the interplanetary party lounge". Apparently the "interplanetary party lounge" is an essential component of the space ship and it cannot launch either without it or without a laser for the disco smoke machine...