A potential problem at the International Space Station

photo The International Space Station

The United States remains committed to partnership in the International Space Station, but it is no longer capable of launching people or supplies into space to sustain it. That was not supposed to be a problem, even after the U.S. space shuttle program ended last month. Instead, U.S. astronauts and supplies would be hauled into space by Russian spacecraft. That plan's in jeopardy after a Soyuz rocket, the usually reliable workhorse of the Russian space fleet, crashed last week.

Though the spacecraft that crashed was not carrying people, it was similar to what is used to ferry astronauts. The failed craft was laden with supplies, including green apples and garlic, which the space station's crew would use to spice up their somewhat bland diet. In the aftermath of the crash, the major problem is not the crew's diet, but the future of the station.

Space officials in Russia understandably grounded rockets in the Soyuz fleet, including one that was scheduled for launch two days after the crash. That spacecraft was supposed to carry a Russian navigation satellite into orbit. Until the question of why supply rocket crashed is answered, it makes sense to ground the Soyuz fleet.

Safety, of course, is the primary concern. There's no reason to risk lives if there is a question about the integrity or safety of a rocket. That's a given. Now space officials in several countries must decide what happens if the Soyuz is not cleared to fly replacement crew members to the station.

There's no problem, yet, in getting those currently aboard the station home. Replacing them is. That, a NASA official says, could prompt astronauts to abandon the international project until there is a safe way to transport replacement crews. The station can continue to operate without a crew, but the risk to the orbiting craft goes up if there's no one there to fix problems as they occur.

Astronauts of various nations have lived aboard the space station since 2000. That tenure is threatened by the failure of the Russian spacecraft. Unfortunately, the United States can do little to change that situation. At the moment, at least, it has no way to transport astronauts into space.

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