The stubbornness of the U.S. Congress is pushing the launch of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program further into the future, without a deadline in sight.
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At the moment, however, Congress is abstaining from financing the new “space taxi” program, so it may be inevitable to direct more of NASA’s funds to the Kremlin for assistance – more years of astronauts having to launch from Kazakhstan rather than Cape Canaveral.
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration told American lawmakers on Wednesday that the move was a result of the Congress failure to fund the Commercial Crew Program, the Hill reported.
Bolden explained NASA modified its contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) valued at $490 million in order to meet the agency’s need to send astronauts to the ISS. Under its current arrangement, NASA has to shell out almost $80 million for every seat on the Soyuz rocket.
The relationship between the US and Russian Federation was hit after the Cold War.
In 2014, the space agency partnered up with private companies Boeing and SpaceX to help develop transportation for NASA’s crew members to the space station.
However, SpaceX’s recent attempts to launch resupply vehicles to the ISS have not been entirely successful. Orbital’s rocket has been grounded since a launch accident in October.
NASA had hoped to begin US flights by 2017, but House and Senate budget proposals for the fiscal year beginning on October 1 would short the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, likely resulting in additional delays and higher costs, Mr Bolden wrote.
According to Bolden, the program requires $1.24 billion (roughly Rs 7,906 crore).
“While I understand that funding is extremely limited, it is critical that all of NASA’s human spaceflight efforts be supported”, Bolden wrote.
“Unfortunately, for 5 years now, the Congress, whereas incrementally growing…
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