On 19 Feb 2006 09:08:35 -0800, "Ed Kyle" wrote:

Russia has launched and returned from orbit an 18 seat
capacity (some unoccupied on six manned flights during
2003-2005, as well as launching 11 separate Progress
supply missions. The U.S. managed only one semi-successful
mission during the same period carrying six astronauts.

Seven. And Shuttle delivered more cargo to ISS on STS-114 than all of
the Progress flights in 2005.

I hate
to say it, but we cannot ignore the fact that the U.S. shuttle
killed all of the astronauts it launched in 2003 - more astronauts
in one accident than have ever died in all Russian space
disasters combined.

However, the Shuttle has also launched several times more people into
space than Russia ever has.

Zvezda is the core propulsion module, the engine, for ISS.
It, along with Russia's Progress ships, provide the bulk of
the station's Delta-V.

Actually, the Shuttle peformed more reboost than Progress did prior to
2003, and likely will again once regular flights resume.

Brian