Space Without The Russians

For about five years America is going to depend on the Russians for access to the Space Station. Suppose because of happenings in Georgia the Russians decline to do their part?

“The new challenge we have is that for approximately five years, the plan — which is a very bad plan but is the only plan that NASA and the administration and Congress have approved — is to be dependent on the Russian Soyuz vehicle to get people to and from the international space station,” said Tom Feeney, (R-FL). “And so now, with the political realities with Russia invading Georgia, we have a new wrinkle thrown in.”

Tom Feeney is right. It is a very bad plan. So what can be done?

Full speed ahead with private efforts to get into space in the same way the US Government sponsored air mail contracts to get the fledgling aircraft industry off the ground.

How about a competition to get private industry to supply the space station?

Cross Posted at Classical Values