Mon, Jul 18, 2005
While NASA Fiddles, Space Station Components Sit Idle On The
Ground
NASA's international partners in the International Space Station
are growing anxious about progress on the station's construction as
the space shuttle program continues to struggle with technical
problems and the resulting delays.
Take Japan, for instance. That country has $3 billion invested
in the ISS. But its main contribution to the station, the Kibo lab
module, sits on the ground at the Kennedy Space Center -- right
next to the ESA's Columbus module. There are other parts of the
still-to-be-completed station awaiting delivery to orbit. Trusses,
solar arrays and a seven-sided control module for extra-vehicular
operations are also piled up at the loading dock, awaiting
transport into orbit.
But the long delay in flights after the Columbia disaster,
exaserbated by the latest hold in the Return to Flight, have only
fueled concern among ISS partners who are already worried about the
pending retirement of the entire shuttle fleet.
"It is a concern," said Japan's space station program manager
Kuniaki Shiraki, quoted by Reuters.
But NASA officials are firm in their belief that the shuttle has
to be a-okay for flight before the shuttle program -- and the ISS's
completion -- are back on track.
"If we intend to complete the International Space Station in the
near future, then we have to make a decision that the (fuel) tank
is good enough to fly," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said
last week.
Even after the first couple of shuttle missions, completing the
ISS will depend on progress in the Return to Flight effort. First
and foremost will be eliminating the requirement to have a rescue
shuttle prepped and ready to go in case of emergency.
"We will not for long be able to maintain a rescue capability
and still maintain the station," Griffin said. He, too, was quoted
by Reuters.
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