In article 1104323431.6c9fa693bd47c8e2b74608177df38757@teran ews,
"Henk Boonsma" wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...
The BBC is reporting that after the 2006 contract completion, the
Russian space agency will only fly US astronauts on a commercial basis.
They didn't say whether it is RKS, Energia or other institute saying
no, I'm assuming RKS or whatever their called now.

This seems like a good opportunity for the America's Space Prize or a
"fasttrack" CEV like the t/Space proposal. alternatively an excellent
excuse to abandon the station. The simplest, yet most unlikely,
near-term solution would seem for Congress to make an exemption for
purchasing Soyuz seats.

No, by that time the Shuttle will be flying again and the U.S. won't need
the Soyuz flights anymore. Also, the U.S. will have something to bargain
with (i.e. Russian cosmonauts will also have to pay for a Shuttle flight).
Therefore, this entire announceent is futile.

True, one way or another: either because the Shuttle will be in service,
or because another shuttle will have been destroyed and the US will have
abandoned ISS participation.