Raw Video: Soyuz Crew Docks at International Space Station

A Russian spacecraft carrying an American, a Russian and a Japanese astronaut docked successfully at the International Space Station on Wednesday, officials said.(Dec. 23)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• NASA-DOCK-20091223OVN

[granddad2002]

Manned Space flight is going to have challenges. The shuttle had limitation, the $5 million dollars per launch price tag grew grew 100 times more expensive. The 30 days from go to launch never happened. The bottlenecks were all political and economic. Space hardware needs to function beyond gov't checkbooks. Soyuz is ran like a business, ironically the Russians will deal commercially and with private funding. NASA is heading to that end too. And bringing down cost while increasing clients.

[joelibermann]

well, now were going to have to rely on that peace of sh*t to supply the ISS because the space shuttle program is ending, and the president cancelled funding for the constellation program.

[joshatkins94]

btw, their space program is practically bankrupt (that's why they've been happy to fly tourists for $30 mn). They still have a fucked up govt, and they don't have the money to do something bigger. They are planning a new vehicle but that's a long term plan which will take a decade or two to complete.

If you look at American private aerospace companies they're building launch vehicles in the traditional capsule-on-booster design, it's proven technology and it works reliably.

[joshatkins94]

Yes, that's how America got to the Moon before the communists, with a capsule on top of a rocket.

If the shuttle had been built that way the Columbia tragedy wouldn't have happened because the thermal protection system wouldn't have been damaged by the insulating foam as the booster would have been below it.

[joshatkins94]

The Shuttle was built in the 70s and based on initial designs from the 60s (design work began at NASA in April 1969).

The Soyuz is considerably cheaper to launch than the shuttle, because it takes 3 crew members vs. typically 7 on the shuttle (max 8 ever launched, potentially more in a theoretical rescue mission)

The Soyuz has been repeatedly updated since its creation and like the shuttle has modern computers and equipment. The TMA, shown in this video, is the latest version.

[mrkaa001]

Why do you say Russians suck ? Russians technology is not that behind as you think .

You are right - Americans does have very good school of shuttles. And hopefully they will continue developing new space crafts.

But ask any of US rocket scientist - I doubt they will share same views as you ,about the Russians. In fact - for me, the way they using cheaper technologys are admirable.

[TheLiberalssuckdick]

Russians suck.

this is soviet era technology from the fucking 70's. Their all cramped in that little thing.

Now compare that with the shuttle (80's) but the inside is filled with the latest computers and equipment.

[mrkaa001]

Russians are ok. They just overcome from total economical downhill - so to develope drastically new technology will take a time and money.

[TheLiberalssuckdick]

HAHAHA.

I needed a good laugh.

A fucking missile / rocket with a fucking capsule on top.

HAHAHAHA.

[joshatkins94]

@cyberteque Orion would take a larger crew (4 to the lunar surface, instead of 2 like the Apollo LM), and could potentially be upgraded to be part of a human mission to Mars. Plus in the Apollo era there was only one LV (Saturn V), Constellation will have the Ares V and I (and possibly Ares IV), so uncrewed lunar landings (i.e. supplies) will be possible too.