Cost of US astronauts ride on Russia rockets

[Rick]

Cost of US astronauts ride on Russia rockets soars

The price for American astronauts to hitch a ride on a Russian spaceship is going sky high.

The Associated Press


WASHINGTON —
The price for American astronauts to hitch a ride on a Russian spaceship is going sky high.

NASA on Tuesday signed a contract to pay $55.8 million per astronaut for six Americans to fly into space on Russian Soyuz capsules in 2013 and 2014. NASA needs to get rides on Russian rockets to the International Space Station because it plans to retire the space shuttle fleet later this year.

NASA now pays half as much, about $26.3 million per astronaut, when it uses Russian ships. NASA spokesman John Yembrick said the cost is going up because Russia has to build more capsules for the extra flights. NASA had already agreed to pay as much as $51 million a seat for flights in 2011 and 2012, before the latest increase.

[spacefan]

Hmmm! sounds like a case of good old supply and demand. Damn those commies sure picked up capitalism quick.