(bob haller) writes:

http://www.floridatoday.com/news/spa...3004rescue.htm

Anyone know why they decided that returning 3 crew aboard soyuz early on is a
bad idea? That fascinates me. No matter what the crew is stranded. Better to
get the life support load dropped ASAP.

The obvious reason is that the crew on ISS need to stay there because
they're trained to keep ISS going. You couldn't send back three
people from the shuttle, because they're not trained on Soyuz (and
would lack the properly fitted Russian spacesuits and custom seat
liners necessary). Besides, once a rescue shuttle arrives, if there
isn't a Soyuz at ISS, you've got to bring everyone home on the
shuttle, temporarily abandoning ISS (again leaving it without a crew
that knows how to fix things).

Beyond which it appears they have given up all thoughts of salvaging the
shuttle prefering to ditch it in the pacific. A irreplaceable orbiter.

Because they're finding it difficult enough just to get the crew back
home alive.

Does soyuz have auto dock capacity like progress?

This has been discussed before. Soyuz has flown unmanned in the past,
but the ability to do this with the current design is questionable.
You'd have to ask the Russians.

What they really need are a couple soyuz always ready for launch within a month
or less waiting in inventory.

If NASA were willing to *pay* for this to happen, the Russians would
surely do just about anything. Again, paying the Russians *cash* has
been discussed in the past. This is a difficult thing for the US
(NASA) to do. There are a *lot* of political roadblocks to overcome.

Send 3 crew back onboard the at station soyuz, and launch two adfditional
unmanned soyuz to return the others.

Again, not practical unless everyone has the proper training. I'm
sure NASA would prefer to do the rescue themselves.

Thuis news story raises lots of new questions
Hey this is my opinion

We all know what that's worth.

Jeff
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