9 erring body care centers shut in Riyadh    20,000 military emblems confiscated in Riyadh    Al-Samaani visits headquarters of Hague Conference on Private International Law    KSrelief provided over $7bln to support children around the world    Al-Jasser: Saudi Arabia to expand rail network to over 8,000 km    OMODA&JAECOO: Unstoppable global cumulative sales over 360,000 units    Saudi Arabia sees 73.7% rise in investment licenses in Q3 2024    Al Hilal doesn't need extra support to bring new players, CEO says    Rust premieres at low-key film festival three years after shooting    Fate of Gaetz ethics report uncertain after congressional panel deadlocked    Ukraine fires UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles at Russia for first time    Netanyahu offers $5 million and safe passage out of Gaza to anyone returning a hostage    Indian billionaire Gautam Adani indicted in New York on fraud charges    Rafael Nadal: Farewell to the 'King of Clay'    Indonesia shocks Saudi Arabia with 2-0 victory in AFC Asian Qualifiers    Sitting too much linked to heart disease –– even if you work out    Yemeni Orchestra's captivating performances in Riyadh, showcasing shared cultural legacies    Future of Ronaldo's Al Nassr contract remains undecided, says Saudi Pro League CEO    GASTAT report: 45.1% of Saudis are overweight    Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig wins Miss Universe 2024    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Russia says to bear brunt of space missions
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 11 - 10 - 2009


Russia expects to
extend the life of the International Space Station beyond 2015,
although Moscow must bear the brunt of flights after the United
States retires its shuttles, reuters quoted officials as saying on Sunday.
Space agency heads will meet in March 2010, probably in
Japan, to discuss the future of the International Space Station
(ISS), Alexei Krasnov, head of manned programmes at Russian
space agency Roscosmos, told a news conference.
"The main question to be raised is whether to extend the
life of the ISS beyond 2015. I believe the issue will be
approved," Krasnov said at Mission Control outside of Moscow.
He was speaking after a Russian-American crew returned to
Earth after a space odyssey lasting more than half a year. They
were accompanied by Canadian circus billionaire Guy Laliberte,
who spent about two weeks in space.
Russia's partners in the ISS are U.S. space agency NASA, the
European Space Agency and the Japanese and Canadian space
agencies.
NASA plans six more missions by its fleet of ageing space
shuttles after the construction of the $100 billion ISS is
completed. Afterwards, the shuttles will be retired, next year
or early in 2011.
Roscosmos head Anatoly Perminov was quoted by RIA news
agency on Sept. 25 as saying it had learned NASA could extend
the deadline to retire the shuttles.
Should it proceed, however, the retirement of U.S. shuttles
would increase the burden on Russia for manning the ISS, now in
orbit 360 km (225 miles) above Earth, said Vitaly Lopota,
general director of Russian spacecraft builder RKK Energia.
Lopota told the news conference Russia had doubled the
number of manned space flights to four this year and planned to
send six cargo ships per year to the space station, also more
than usual.
"We work economically, we live economically and we maintain
the station in an economical way," Lopota said.
NASA's future strategy is under review with a focus on
possible flights to Mars. It is also encouraging a private space
taxi project to the ISS.
A new rocket and capsule to transport astronauts to the ISS
is also being developed but will not be operational until about
2015. Until then, NASA will rely on Roscosmos and must pay $50
million per seat for flights to the ISS by Soyuz capsules.


Clic here to read the story from its source.