Lucky Thirteen On the ISS 120
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."
Re:13? Didn't they read Harry Potter? (Score:3, Insightful)
What's a European? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:What's a European? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What's a European? (Score:5, Insightful)
Many a stupid piece of political correctness, came from people deciding what would, or wouldn't be offensive to other people.
Those two people don't represent the other 700 million, who probably don't care, and are off to the pub.
Re:Need Another Seven Astronauts (Score:5, Insightful)
Why not? Justify your statement.
Not that I'm disagreeing with you, there just aren't many definitions of 'country' that include the USA and exclude the EU. Common currency? Common language? How many Americans speak Spanish as a first language now? Common culture? You mean like Massachusetts and Louisiana right? Common government? Most of our law comes from the EU now. Constitution? Britain doesn't have a written constitution, but not many will deny that it is a country. If you view a constitution as a body of law then European law is pretty formidable.
Would the majority of Europeans describe themselves as European first? No. But neither would the majority of English, Irish*, Scots or Texans.
I don't disagree per se. But a country is one of those things you point at and say; "that's a country" without really knowing why.
*Though this one is more complex.
Re:13? Didn't they read Harry Potter? (Score:3, Insightful)
If you believe in numerology...
...then I really hope you have nothing to do with the space industry.
Re:What's a European? (Score:3, Insightful)
I quite like being called European. I don't much like the bits of culture that are specific to my country, but I do like the bits that are broadly European.
Re:Need Another Seven Astronauts (Score:2, Insightful)
The EU is a Federation... not a Nation.
They have a common bond only in the regional sense, no common language and only recently a somewhat central authority.