On 5 Aug 2005 13:20:55 -0700, "Bob Haller" wrote:

With at least 2 soyuz at station, and a couple in the pipeline ready
for immediate launch, foam loss couldd be safely tolerated, while other
remdies are tried.

Yes, that is one option. I don't think that the Russians are too keen
to keep two of their craft up there though. Are you going to pay them
to do this? I thought not...

incidently sending 3 back immediately was never nasas first choice, as
it would leave no way to get a crew member home in a emergency. like
appendecitis.....

It would certainly go ahead. Not sending three people back to Earth
would reduce their available supplies a great deal earlier. That puts
every other person's life at risk.

I don't see that appendicitis would be much of an issue. Just give
someone a scalpel and they could soon have it removed. Easy job I am
sure. And where they would even have some experts on the other end of
the video link to guide them.

I would even suspect that one of their crew members would have some
medical training.

You don't need to be a brain surgeon in other words. And I am sure
that they will have this covered on any Mars trip.

Cardman.