International Space Station

A good question... I think this might be an imptus for the congress critters to boost the spending for Orion/Ares. That, or extend the shuttle a bit more. Only time will tell...

Interesting problem.  We are at a point with Orion/ Aries that additional funding at this point will not speed up the program.  The other problem is that to keep the shuttle shut down on schedule and on budget, the subcontractors that manufacture custom (almost all) parts for the shuttle have had their contracts cancelled and the parts, if they can be made available, will cost a fortune.  Remember, winding down the shuttle is where the funding for Orion/ Aries comes from.  Delaying the shuttle retirement will reduce funding for the new vehicles.  This is the result of the administration making a committment to the moon but adding no new funding to get there...basically wishing.  Take a look at the books by Robert Zubrin for an interesting alternative.

I have the feeling that the ISS will be one of the few common grounds available for reconciliation. Kick the US out? How can they do that? What if the US wants its components back?

1975 with relations between Russia still very cold on the ground we had the Apollo/soyuz project.

Then again, remember the movie 2010?

We (America) own the center hub of the station so I greatly doubt we are going anywhere.