NASA's decision to launch a fresh two-man crew to the International Space Station last weekend came over the strenuous objections of mid-level scientists and physicians who warned that deteriorating medical equipment and air and water monitoring devices aboard the orbiting laboratory posed increasing safety risks for the crew, according to space agency documents and interviews.
Two officials responsible for health and environmental conditions on the space station refused to approve the launch of the new crew, instead signing a dissent that warned about "the continued degradation" of the environmental monitoring and health maintenance systems and exercise equipment vital to the astronauts' well-being. The new crew blasted off in a Soyuz capsule from Russia on Saturday and later docked with the space station.
Some NASA medical experts and scientists argued that the space station, which so far has cost more than $30 billion, should be temporarily abandoned, because the grounding of the space shuttle fleet after the Feb. 1 Columbia disaster has made it impossible to repair or replace failing equipment anytime soon. But NASA, the Russians and other partners are reluctant to leave the orbiting laboratory unoccupied and more vulnerable to mishaps.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3215-2003Oct22.html
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