Well, this came as a surprise (srsly): NASA says it doesn't want to use Russian rockets during the multiyear gap between the Shuttle and Constellation eras. I've written about this, how NASA has sought a waiver from the government to allow them use Russian tech, despite a law disallowing it. However, it's not that NASA won't use the Russians, it's that with the successful launch of a Falcon-1 from Space X, they hope to use U.S. companies instead of foreign agencies. That makes sense and I agree. I'm glad they're keeping their options open. That gap before we get the Ares rockets launched may stretch out, and NASA may need to have different avenues to space.
NASA prefers not to use Russian rockets
NASA aims to avoid Russian rockets during the gap between Shuttle and Constellation, focusing on U.S. companies for future launches.
Written byPhil Plait
| 1 min read
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