# ISS Crew 9 returns to Earth



## malfunkshun (Oct 23, 2004)

Check it while its happening

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/exp9_mission_page.html


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 24, 2004)

Missed the happening, but glad to see they haven't emptied the old bird yet.

 When is the next capsule due up?


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## Hypes (Oct 24, 2004)

Whatever its scientific significance, this makes me very proud to see that we're all working together to achieve a common goal.


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 25, 2004)

Yep. The common goal of not allowing the ISS to become the planning disaster that it keeps threatening to be.


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## Hypes (Oct 25, 2004)

That was nice.


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## Brian G Turner (Oct 25, 2004)

Simply comparing what ISS was planned to be - and the bare minimum that we currently have. The neglect in the space station's development is a very real threat to its future, IMO.


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## malfunkshun (Oct 26, 2004)

I said:
			
		

> Simply comparing what ISS was planned to be - and the bare minimum that we currently have. The neglect in the space station's development is a very real threat to its future, IMO.


sad but true.  it has already cost 60 billion dollars and just as things were looking up, the shuttle disaster pretty much sealed its fate.  maybe it'll still be completed by 2010, but probably not.  it was originally designed to accomodate a full time crew of 7 you know... as it stands, there are only 2 people manning it full time because the US won't get their heads out of the red tape and design a good emergency escape capsule (the soyuz only holds a maximum of 3 passengers).

still, its something as opposed to nothing, and well, thats something


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