Hitching Rides On Soyuz

U. S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) has announced he will push to have current law allowing NASA astronauts to fly aboard Russian Soyuz capsules extended beyond 2011, into the gap between the retirement of the shuttle and the first flight of Orion.

Nelson claimed he didn't like the situation, but it was the only way to ensure American access to "our own station" meaning ISS, during the gap. Perhaps Sen. Nelson and the rest of Congress should have planned better several years ago to avoid such a situation. The Soyuz approach gives Russia extraordinary leverage over the short term future of the U. S. manned spaceflight program. It also means American money will go to Russia at a time the Russian Government seems to be becoming increasingly authoritarian and aggressive.

Both major presidential candidates have urged finding ways to close the gap between shuttle and Orion from its current five years.