spacetoday.net: Future plans for ISS uncertain in wake of shuttle accident

Posted: Sun, Feb 2, 2003, 11:12 PM ET (0412 GMT)
ISS illustration (NASA)

The loss of the space shuttle Columbia and the resulting grounding of the shuttle fleet have raised questions about not only the continued assembly of the International Space Station but the ability to keep the station occupied. The station is currently occupied by the three-man Expedition Six crew, who will, with the successful launch Sunday of the Progress M-47 cargo spacecraft, have enough supplied to remain on the station through late June. While the station could continue to be supplied by Progress spacecraft, and crews exchanged on Soyuz missions, the Russian government currently lacks the funds needed to produce the additional Soyuz and Progress spacecraft required to replace the shuttle missions. The US cannot currently provide additional funding to NASA because of the Iran Non-Proliferation Act of 1999, which prohibits NASA from buying Russian hardware unless the administration certifies that Russia has not provided missile technology to Iran within the last 12 months. SPACE.com reported that the Bush Administration may seek a waiver to the law, but could come with political implications. Although a worst-case scenario would require leaving the station unoccupied, perhaps for months, NASA officials said Saturday that there was "no reason" to consider that option yet.