NASA eyes extending station crew shifts
Posted on: Monday, 12 April 2004, 06:00 CDT
NASA is considering a Russian plan to keep crews aboard the International Space Station for a year at a time, BBC News Online reported Monday.
The change would allow Russia to set aside room on its flights for more paying customers, either space tourists or European astronauts. Currently, two Soyuz capsules blast off every year at six month intervals.
The space station crew has been limited to two full-time resident astronauts since space shuttle flights were suspended in the wake of the Columbia accident on Feb. 1, 2003.
At present, Russia's Soyuz capsules are the only means of transport to and from the space station, which reduces Russia's ability to sell seats on its rockets. Russia receives about $20 million from each customer who travels aboard its rockets.
NASA officials said a team of its doctors, engineers and other specialists have been reviewing the proposal for several weeks and the agency expects to reach a decision sometime next month.
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