http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/nasa-chief-tells-congress-dont-make-us-hitch-rides-russia-n417771NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is tired of relying on the Russians to carry American astronauts into space. Currently, the United States pays for spots on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, which carry people and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) orbiting Earth. The White House decided to retire the Space Shuttle in 2004 after the Columbia disaster, leading to the final launch in 2011. NASA plans to replace the Space Shuttle with the Orion spacecraft for longer missions and spaceships from private companies for trips to the ISS.
In an op-ed published Friday in Wired titled "Congress, Don't Make Us Hitch Rides With Russia. Love, NASA," he made the case to Congress to fund the Commercial Crew program, a partnership between NASA and private companies to launch astronauts into low orbit from American soil. "Just recently, NASA was left with no other choice but to write a $490 million check to our Russian counterparts so that we can get our own astronauts to the Space Station," Bolden wrote. "It doesn't have to be this way."
