Re: ESA signs contract with Dutch Space to prepare the European RoboticArm for its launch on Proton

I find it interesting that work is being duplicated with the europeans
adding yet another arm on the station.

Wouldn't it have been easier, simpler and cheaper to just add , on the
russian segment, SSRMS grappling points with data/power cables liking
them to the US segment, thus allowing the canadian arm to grapple itself
on the russian segment and perform duties there ?


Assuming Shuttle never flies again, will ATV allow the station to regain
3 permanent crewmembers ? If an ATV stays up there for 6 months, and
then there are 2 progress for the other 6 months, is that enough to
sustain 3 crewmembers ?

If they were to launch 2 ATVs per year, could they increase cremembers
to 5 or 6 ?

Assuming 2 Soyuz escape pods to support crew size > 3, and an ATV
always parked at the aft end, one would need to add a new russian
docking port to accomodate some progress ships. Or will the new MLM
module provide additional docking ports ?

Once the americans are gone, could the russians launch a modified PMA3
that has all the right russian docking stuff to allow a progress to
Kurs-dock to nadir or port side of unity ?

Is the station side Kurs equipment fairly self contained ? I.E could the
russians install a Kurs docking port on the US segment with just a power
cord to power it, or must it have plenty of data interfaces to the
russian station computers ?
.

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