Astronauts May Have to Evacuate Space Station

Tuesday, 30 August 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Here’s the problem with not having the space shuttle any more: They’re having trouble with the Russian cargo rockets that keep the International Space Station supplied. And they may have to bring the astronauts home in a couple of months, says the New York Times, after an unmanned rocket carrying three tons of supplies crashed last week. The station has been continuously occupied for more than ten years; currently, three Russians, two Americans and one Japanese astronauts are living on the space station. The Times says the astronauts have plenty of supplies to keep them going but their return capsules are due to expire in a few weeks.