The ISS, Not Just for NASA Anymore

NASA is ready and willing to share the international space station (ISS) with other U.S. government agencies and commercial firms once construction of the $100 billion orbital outpost is finished in 2010.

That is the main thrust of a 14-page report NASA sent to Congress in late May outlining a plan for operating the U.S. segment of ISS as a "national laboratory" supported and used by entities other than NASA.

NASA says in the report that the agency would serve as "stewards of this new national laboratory asset" covering the annual cost of maintaining and operating the ISS "as long as the benefits to the nation are justifiable and the agency's ISS operations' budget is reduced to permit both exploration and ISS operations."

NASA says it could foresee letting a nonprofit or some other type of nongovernment entity eventually manage commercial use of the station, but would continue to serve as "the executive agent for other government uses of the ISS."


SOURCE:
Space.com

I am glad to see NASA doing this.
The ISS, while not being as effective as it could have been, is a great endeavour,
and can be used for many different things, so opening it up like this really lets its full
potential be realizable.


Comments, Opinions?

It's a matter of money $$$$$$$$.



Me, I think it's worthless.

I think this is great news!! Too bad we wont see any private or independent use for it until at least 2015/2020 (speculating here). Simply because of the $10,000 per lb. cost of putting something into space. Also it is way to small to be turned into some sort of tourist attraction, I mean where would the bagel stand go??

I am also wondering why NASA is making this move now? Is it because they just finished construction on a new space station?

[edit on 11-6-2007 by Clandestino]

Originally posted by Clandestino
Also it is way to small to be turned into some sort of tourist attraction,

Well it's not gonna become the Hilton Orbital, yes, but for the people who have the money
and want to go there, it would be.

I am also wondering why NASA is making this move now? Is it because they just finished construction on a new space station?

Technically the ISS wont even be completed until around 2010.
The reason they are doing this is because, well the ISS does'nt have a huge amount
of use if you limit what goes there to just NASA, the ESA, JAXA and the other space agencies,
that and they need some way to level off the price tag for up-keep, repair and supply once it's finished.

[edit on 6/11/2007 by iori_komei]

Originally posted by iori_komei
Technically the ISS wont even be completed until around 2010.
The reason they
are doing this is because, well the ISS does'nt have a huge amount of use if you limit what
goes there to just NASA, the ESA, JAXA and the other space agencies, that and they
need some way to level off the price tag for up-keep, repair and supply once it's finished.

I agree with you completely, Americans don't want to pay more taxes so it only makes sense that even NASA starts privatizing stuff, just like the US government has privatized damn near everything.

*edited* cuz i accidentally misquoted you.

[edit on 11-6-2007 by Clandestino]

Privatizing Space Exploration should be seen as a very good thing not the opposite. It's one of the many things that is holding us back. If Private Enterprises can find a way to make money out in intra-solar space, they'll start pouring billions of dollars into technology and infrastructure development and that will most likely usher in the greatest economic boom in history. I hope I live to see the day.

Originally posted by SteveR
...Me, I think it's worthless.

If you're trying to say that you think the ISS is worthless, then I must repectfully disagree...sort of. I do agree that the ISS is not much of a place of research, and it is not worth the money it cost, as such. But the real value of the ISS is not the finished product, but the invaluble information we gather about building and designing such a structure in space. There's no way to simulate how to build such a thing until you actually need to do it, and we will need to do similar construction projects on the Moon and on Mars. We gained priceless experience in the construction and design of space habitats that will wwill need for years to come.

Take the Apollo program, for instance. We learned next to nothing while on the Moon -- although a geologist would beg to differ -- but geology aside, the actual time the astronauts spent on the Moon taught us little about space and technology. The terrific leaps and bounds we made in engineering and technology was all due to the actual 9-year long process of designing, building, and testing the technology required to get those astronauts to the Moon in the first place. The whole nation's push in technology and Engineering also spawned the next generation of scientists and engineers -- the ones who developed the computers and other technological wonders we all use today.

One could argue that walking on the Moon was worthless, but no one can deny the great leaps in technology and engineering required to get there.

The construction space station, although to a lesser extent than the Apollo program, is causing engineers and scientist to develop new technologies and new means and methods for extraterrestial habitat design that will serve us well in the future.

As the saying goes, "it's not the destination, but the journey that's important".


[edit on 11-6-2007 by Soylent Green Is People]

I just watched the ISS/Shuttle go by, my first visual sighting.
June 11/07 @22:58-23:03
heavens-above.com...