The International Space Station has always been sold as an orbiting science laboratory, though just what those astronauts were studying has never been entirely clear. Now NASA has announced that once the ISS is completed in 2010 (or will it?), the agency will open up about half of the U.S.’s research space on the ISS for outside use—both for other government agencies, such as the DOE or Pentagon, and for universities and corporations.
So we ask you: What would you like to see the research space on the ISS used for? We’ll forward along the best suggestions to NASA HQ, and include a roundup in either print or on Popsci.com. Leave your ideas in the comments.—Michael Moyer
NASA should use part of it for astronaut training, and as a 'pit stop' on the way to and from the moon (once they put a base there, that is).
Posted by: dan | June 27, 2007 at 08:41 PM
Not just a science mission...
After all is said and done and the life of the space station is to be deorbited??????? I think it should be thrust to a neutral gravitational point where it could remain as parts for other space craft. As well, all or parts of it could be sent half way to mars giving the mars voyage a safe haven or just a pit stop for refueling, parts, or water/food storage...
As a storage depot it does not even need to be pressurized.
It would break my (and others) heart to see $100,000,000,000 (one hundred BILLION dollars) get burned up in deorbit.
Thanks,
Kenneth
Posted by: Kenneth S | July 29, 2008 at 05:07 PM
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Posted by: Health News | March 22, 2011 at 06:06 AM