Preserved Topic: For the Crew up on Mir

since the Columbia tragedy .. the crew up on the International Space Station is left to sit in space for some time now (4 months) .. my thoughts and prayers go to there families .. as Columbia was the only shuttle that could dock with the space station .. they have 4 months of food and oxygen left .. let's hope the team working on the redoing of a shuttle that Russia has will be ready for launch in 4 months

I posted this because I didn't know if anyone else realized the situation at hand for the crew on mir at the moment

[edit: I meant to say the International Space Station]


.::. cEll .::. 513

[This message has been edited by RammStein (edited 02-10-2003).]

Unless I am mistaken there is a Russian Soyuz docked with the station that the crew can use to leave anytime. Also the crew can be resupplied by unmaned ship's as needed, I'm not sure if that includes oxygen though.



[This message has been edited by dmstiner (edited 02-10-2003).]

And that station is not mir. Mir is gone...crashed down to earth a few years ago. This space station is a different ventrue.

dmstiner is right, there's a Souyz (?) spacecraft docked on the ISS in case of emergency. I don't how goes the construction of ISS, but it's supposed to have a big robot-arm to handle heavy loads of materials. So an unhabited flight could bring some food and oxygen nearby ISS.

RammStein are you REALLY sure that Columbia was the only spacecraft able to dock on ISS ? because the US has built 5 space shuttles so far : Challenger (+), Columbia (+), Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavor. I'd be surprised if none of the 3 remaining shuttles couldn't dock on ISS.

Mathieu "POÏ" HENRI

Yep, Colombia was the only one that was able to dock to a space station.

mm, don't think so.
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/release/2000/34-00.htm

chris


KAIROSinteractive

Thank you, Skaarjj, for pointing out that the ISS is in fact not the Russian space station Mir.

Also, both Russian Soyuz capsules and Space Shuttles are capable of docking with the ISS. The reason that the shuttle is preffered is that unlike the 2 tons a Soyuz can ferry, the shuttle has room for 40 tons of equipment.

Yes, the astronauts and cosmonaut currently at the station will be staying their longer than planned, but they are not stranded and not in any danger. Poi is correct about the escape pod. Also, the Russians are preparing to soon launch a routine resupply rocket and have offered to increase the number of resupply ships until the shuttles are again flying.

Our men are safe in the ISS, but don't let that stop you from praying for them and their families. They could use it even if the shuttle hadn't broke up.

The sunday right after the loss of the columbia the russions launched as scheduled a rocket with an sojuz/progress capsule. This capsule should be ready for the round trip home soon. The russsions are prepared to do all the work next months until NASA has solved all their problems.
I think when needed the ESA (European Space Agency) could send Arrianne rockets too. ISS= International Space Station = an European, American, Russion project.
I do think about those guys up there....and i hope they will be ok.
Nasa - Colombia page
ESA - ISS
ISS above your town?
Space.com
Sojuz/Progress Launch

<edit-on>Just found out that ESA can not sent anything yet since both the new escape pod("Jules Verne")and the space vehicle(ATV) are not ready yet. Almost thou...<edit-off>


"Freedom of speech is by no means freedom to insult others" from the Razorart goodbye letter.




[This message has been edited by Rinswind 2th (edited 02-10-2003).]