ESA proposes common space transport policy

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/10/19/333601/esa-proposes-common-space-transport-policy.html

 

Currently only Russia is providing International Space Station crew transport with its Energia Soyuz spacecraft. NASA's Discovery flight STS-128, launched on 28 August, was the last scheduled Shuttle-based ISS crew rotation. And after the Shuttle fleet retires in 2010 ISS will rely on the cargo spacecraft of ESA, Russia and Japan until NASA's commercial providers - Space Exploration Technologies and Orbital Sciences - begin. If any of these are delayed or fail then station research could become very limited and its crew of six could have to be reduced to three.