Pulling the Plug

At least one U.S. citizen has lived aboard the International Space Station 24-7 since November 2000, but unless the Earth-orbiting

"None of us likes this position," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said recently. The space agency's nth chief executive voiced the complaint June 28 as he and secretary of State Condoleezza Rice petitioned members of Congress for a reprieve from the 2000 Iran Nonproliferation Act. "If the act is not amended," Griffin told the House Committee on Science, "NASA would not be able to have U.S. astronauts on board the station other than when the shuttle was there."

The law-aimed squarely at Russia, the agency's chief partner in the space station for the past 12 years-makes it illegal to give money to countries suspected of sharing nuclear technology with Iran. NASA's agreement to buy Russian-made Soyuz capsules for use as lifeboats at the station expires next month and cannot be renewed under current provisions of the INA.