American, Russians Blast Off in Soyuz Rocket

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan -- A Russian rocket carrying three astronauts blasted off in southern Kazakhstan on Friday, kicking off a tightly packed schedule at the International Space Station in the coming days.

The Soyuz craft carrying California native Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Russians Alexander Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko soared from the Baikonur cosmodrome in southern Kazakhstan in a carefully regimented operation that has been perfected over the decades.

Dependance on the Russian-made spacecraft will increase over the next few years with only four launches left for the space shuttle before it is retired. That will leave NASA without its own means to send astronauts into space for the first time in half a century. Five manned Soyuz launches are planned for next year.

Source: www.foxnews.com...

I have seen some post about USA willl have to catch some rides from other countries as the US Shuttle program phases out. I think it is just crazy for us to be hitching rides. Why aren't we the ones offering the rides....

Originally posted by anon72
Why aren't we the ones offering the rides....

Because the empire is fading with Russia/China as a new dominant force.

The balance has already tipped, if it wasn't for this pact Iran would be already invaded.

Now back on-topic, the fact that the US is hitching that ride does only mean that there has been a little progress in accepting that countries should work together, instead of trying to be a global force for whatever they think is righteous.

reply to post by Grey Magic

I am new into this area. I'm confused about what you wrote about Russia and China. Why would we be going into Space w/ Russia if this pact is in existance? Would these last rides be a part of a contract/deal made prior to any Rus/Chi pack?

And, as far as working together etc. From what I see, the US only goes into Space w/ Russia. I have seen little about the US working w/ India, Japan or China-heck in the UK as I understand they are starting a program. Am I wrong on that?

I agree that we would get further if all countries would combine forces on getting off this planet instead of waging wars.

Maybe that is what the future holds, since wanting to go into space is something we all want.

The final frontier is perhaps the same one that is keeping the world from uniting the way it should.

I hope we see more countries going into space together in the future.