US Critically-Dependant on Russia for Access to Space

I've always viewed NASA's move, of relying on the Russian Federal Space Agency for access to space once it retires its shuttles, with suspicion. Relaying on private space companies is even crazier, and the recent delays in the Soyuz launch scheduled proved my point yet again.

Space analysts are now beginning to comment on the American space agency's vulnerability in accessing space, even though it was the second nation to reach orbit with a manned crew, and one of the pioneers in the field.

If they manage to stick to existing plans – and that is a very big if – private space companies in the US will have manned spacecraft ready for NASA by 2015 at the earliest. At the rate things are going, it's bound to take even longer than that, Space reports.

Maybe canceling Project Constellation and relying on companies for access to low-Earth orbit was not the best decision NASA and Congress ever made. Through this decision, the agency lost its position as a leader in space exploration to the Russians, Europeans and Japanese.