Posted: Thu, Oct 23, 2003, 7:59 AM ET (1159 GMT)
Several space station officials within NASA disapproved of plans to send a new crew to the International Space Station this month, the Washington Post reported Thursday. According to the front-[age article several NASA employees expressed concerns about environmental conditions on the station, including the inability to monitor trace levels of potentially hazardous contaminants in the station's air, as well as problems with exercise equipment and a defibrillator. Two NASA officials refused to sign a flight readiness certificate prior to last week's launch of Soyuz TMA-3, carrying the two-man Expedition 8 crew, and instead filed dissents outlining the problems they saw on the station. Many NASA officials have expressed concern with leaving the station unmanned, fearing the station's condition could quickly degrade without human intervention. NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe told the Post that officials held one final meeting shortly before the Soyuz launch and that he believed the dissenting officials were now "quite comfortable" with how their concerns were being addressed.

Related Links:

•  Washington Post article
•  AFP article
•  AP article
•  Reuters article