"That's a whole lot of work the crew has to do to do the berthings, the dockings and the EVAs, " said Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program manager.
MSN: Space station crew launches into orbit on Russian craft
Yes: Bring China into the International Space Station program.
It's time not for another government space race, but for expanded space cooperation and collaboration -- an effort the United States would lead, as it does today with the International Space Station program.
The success of the Shenzhou-8 mission moves China one step closer to having its own space station, a goal for their program after having been denied access to the International Space Station by the United States.
FORBES: Chinese Docking Mission A Success; Shenzhou-8 Returned To Earth
Right now, NASA is dependent on Russia for manned flights to the International Space Station until a new manned program is completed.
FORBES: Medvedev: Engineers Behind Russia's Failed Mars Probe Could Face Prosecution
Mr. KIRK SHIREMAN (Deputy Program Manager, International Space Station): Today, the toilet is functioning.
He's the deputy program manager for the international space station.
It's now set for launch in 2017, when it will be joined by the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), an addition to the International Space Station also selected as part of the Explorer program last week that will use a process called X-ray timing to study neutron stars.
ENGADGET: NASA gives planet-hunting TESS space telescope go-ahead for 2017 launch
With another successful launch under its belt, and assuming a successful dock on Wednesday, the success of SpaceX means that NASA is no longer solely reliant on the Russian space program to send supplies and cargo to the International Space Station.
Yesterday, the Russian space program successfully launched its Progress spacecraft, which is set to dock with the International Space Station on Wednesday.
Behnken has inherited the position at a time of transition for the astronaut corps, as NASA looks beyond its retired space shuttle program toward hiring U.S. companies to fly its crews on private spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).
MSN: NASA names space shuttle veteran as new chief astronaut
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