This is old news is it not? Doesn't this boil down to some legal issue about the fact that there can be no US people on the ISS at the same time as a US space craft is docked to it because of some Congressional edict stating something about Russia cooperating with Iran? I'm sure I read that on the HZ some time ago. I think the tone of the HZ info was different though.

Anybody (lawyers) got a clear explaination of the situation (hmmmmm, stupid question really)?

Marcus

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U.S. - Russia Space Flight Future in Doubt
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 30, 2005
Filed at 11:05 a.m. ET

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) -- NASA's top official said Friday that the future
of U.S. participation in Russian space flights is in doubt due to a
Congressional measure that aims to punish Russia for its cooperation with Iran.

Michael Griffin told reporters near Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome that ''an
acceptable financial agreement'' could be reached in response to Russian
demands that the U.S pay for its participation in future Russian flights.

But Griffin said that the chief obstacle that could end ''a continuous
American presence on the ISS (International Space Station)'' was the 2000 Iran
Nonproliferation Act.