So Skylab did it all? Read http://www.aviationnow.com/content/publication/awst/20010820/iss.htm and get back to me.

>>*** I support NASA's astronomy & physics missions. They're exciting. And they do real science. You of all people know full well that many informed scientists opposed ISS plans (the full-up ones with 7 people) because no real science of consequence would result. ISS is not an effective scientific research platform.<<

The article I referenced is about work in space that benefits real people, not some scientist trying to prove a thesis about the core of Io. The taxpayers deserve to get some real benefits from their tax dollars. Maybe better health as a result of ISS research isn't exciting, but it *means something*. Filling science volumes with esoteric facts about planets doesn't benefit anybody. Interesting to read, but of no true importance to taxpayers.

And some researchers complain about ISS? That's surprising? They complain about anything that gets money their pet project is not getting. The article indicates that some scientists think work on ISS is a good thing. Any subject is going to have a pro- and an anti- crowd.

If we have the discretionary income to undertake risky research in orbit that has a chance of helping people on Earth, then I vote we spend it on just that.

>>***Baloney. NASA has not set goals to utilize automated flight control technologies effectively. The Ruskies took a different approach to jet fighter design than we did. Although we produced superior jets, ours were finicky, high maintenance jobs. The Russian approach of simple, easy to maintain and repair is probably better for long spaceflight vs finicky thoroughbreads.<<

Can you say "Mir"?

>>*** Science - astronomy, physics & robotic planet missions, great. ISS is not a science project. Never was.<<

True statement. It was a political answer to Mir. But at least an effort is being made to generate a science return, and scientists are lining up to use the facility.

>>Agreed that it's a matter of cultural taste but there are many folks that would perceive crewed missions outside of LEO to be adventurous.<<

I like adventure, too, Phil. I would love to see crews out there visiting sites all through the Solar System - in parallel with ISS research. But this is reality - it ain't gonna happen. Even if ISS shuts down ice cold right now it ain't gonna happen - not even a return to the Moon. The US people and government do not consider it important, so it won't happen. And NASA certainly isn't going to convince Congress to let them tackle something that big, not after the way they've handled ISS.

>> And they could certainly deliver more science than SkyLab II enhanced mission draining NASA's manned spaceflight budget.<<

Define "science". "Science" *is* being done on ISS right now. It just doesn't titillate you. That doesn't mean it isn't science. And better yet, it has the potential to be *practical* science, not esoteric science.

>>I do agree that the majority of the public would soon be boored with most anything space, unless there was a shower cam & an all lesbian supermodel crew.<<

You just got MY attention!

-Kim-