Russian Space Official: Shuttles Could Fly Beyond 2011

By Nancy Atkinson - September 25, 2009 at 5:50 AM UTC | Space Policy
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[/caption] Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos head Anatoly Perminov said earlier today in Moscow that he hopes that the US space shuttle program will be prolonged, adding he has been informed of the possibility of shuttles flying beyond 2011. "We have received information from certain sources that the use of space shuttles could be extended beyond 2011," Perminov was quoted in Interfax, adding that this information arrived through unofficial channels.

As of now, NASA plans only six more shuttle missions, with the program ending by late 2010 or early 2011 after the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) is complete.

But Perminov said he would prefer to see additional shuttle missions to the ISS.

"Then the situation would change substantially and it would be possible to work jointly with the Americans, unlike now, when the main burden (for the ISS) lies with the Russian side," he said.

He added that NASA's new chief and former astronaut Charles Bolden would visit Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome on September 30 in his first foreign trip.

While the Augustine Commission review NASA's future has only outlined a preliminary report, no strategy has been announced by NASA or the Obama administration.

Source: Interfax

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com