Russia Slams Door On NASA In Off-Target Landing Probe

NASA experts won't be involved in Russia's investigation into why the Soyuz TMA-2 space capsule was almost 300 miles off target after an especially rough, virtualy uncontrolled re-entry.

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The Soyuz capsule, sent to retrieve ISS-6 crewmembers Nikolai Budarin and Americans Kenneth Bowersox and Donald Pettit, was on its first-ever manned mission. It was pressed into early service after the Columbia tragedy Feb. 1 left the three otherwise stranded aboard the International Space Station.

Last week's announcement differed with a statement from NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, who met with Russian space agency chief Yuri Koptev and then announced the US space agency would indeed take part in the investigation. Nikolai Zelenshchikov, who will head the Russian investigation in the off-course Soyuz landing May 4, told the ITAR-Tass News Agency he'll have the answers his government wants within two weeks - without help from NASA.

Zelenshchikov, head of the Russian company RKK Energiya, which makes the Soyuz TMA-2, said including NASA officials in the investigation "would create difficulties" in the Russian commission's work. After all, he said, NASA didn't invite Russian experts to help in the Columbia shuttle disaster investigation. Then again, no Russians were among the six Americans and one Israeli killed when the shuttle disintegrated over Texas.

"We will definitely inform our American colleagues about the results of the work and will give them full information, but for now we have nothing to give," Zelenshchikov told ITAR-Tass.

FMI: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/