NASA’s new focus on space exploration means that astronauts will
be spending more time in space to prepare for longer missions, such
as a journey to Mars.
NASA’s new focus on space exploration means that astronauts will be spending more time in space to prepare for longer missions, such as a journey to Mars.
But Russian space officials weren’t thinking about the final frontier when they asked if the crew headed for the international space station in October could stay in orbit for a year. They were thinking about money.
Russia wants to sell seats on its Soyuz capsules to tourists, and keeping the space station crew in place for a full year will free up seats that would otherwise be occupied by their replacements.
NASA officials rejected this plan, with good reason. As long as the space shuttle program is grounded, the space station has to rely on the less capacious Soyuz capsules to bring supplies. That means only two people can stay on the station instead of the usual three. It makes little sense to saddle them with host duty.
What’s more, scientists are still working on ways to combat the health effects of longer space flights. Astronauts may be willing to risk bone and muscle loss and other ills to extend humanity’s reach into the cosmos.
But they shouldn’t be asked to make that sacrifice so that Russia can make a few rubles off space tourism.
– The Times-Picayune, New Orleans
