The International Space Station, a test-bed for future space exploration

Posted by Joshua S. Hill

July 21, 2008

Only a week after author and Washington Post columnist Michael Benson theorized that the International Space Station should become an interplanetary vehicle, the Heads of the International Space Station (ISS) Agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States met Friday at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France, to review ISS cooperation.

In a joint statement by the heads of agency, they noted that the ISS has, as designed, finally expanded its capabilities to provide for such things as on-orbit research, technology development activities, and beefed itself up as an engineering test-bed for flight systems and operations that they believe will be crucial to the future of space exploration.

This meeting was very much just a self-congratulatory pat on the back for the men and women behind the most expensive “thing” ever built by humans. That being said, they are entirely deserved of said pat on the back, especially once you look at the specific achievements that the ISS has been party too since the groups last meeting in January of 2007.

- Delivery of Node 2, aka, Harmony

- Delivery of two new laboratories, the ESA Columbus Module and the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo

- Delivery of Dextre, the two-armed special purpose arm provided by Canada

- The maiden flight of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle

- Successful flights for the Russian Soyuz and Progress vehicles

- The establishment of the global ISS ground operation control center network, with the addition of new European and Japanese ISS operations centers

Needless to say, it is an impressive list. And though some may describe it as nothing more than a money pit, there are those of us who are well aware that funneling money in to such an endeavor is not unworthy of our time and efforts.

The Partners also noted the need to implement the additional Russian modules that, if approved, will help expand the onboard crew to a permanent stationing of six, in 2009 and 2010. The group also acknowledged that they hope to take the usefulness of the ISS beyond 2015, and added that they would work with their respective governments to help further the ISS’s life span.

The joint statement was very much what you would expect, and one can only imagine how many hours were dedicated to writing this up, let alone anything else. But I like to think that, at some point behind those closed doors, someone pulled out a copy of Michael Benson’s article, and … well who knows what would have happened. Either way, the joint statement included one sentence that I really liked. And though I know it will come under fire from some, it hopefully represents real belief in the mission on behalf of its leaders.

“These activities improve the quality of life on Earth by expanding the frontiers of human knowledge.”

Bookmark to: