Japan May Withdraw from Space Station

The Japanese government may consider withdrawal from the International Space Station, according to a post on SpacePolicyOnline today. A Japanese panel of experts has recommended that the Japanese government reexamine the benefits from the space program and "did not rule out that Japan might withdraw from the ISS program in the future." The space shuttle retirement leaves Japan without capability to ferry JAXA astornauts to-and-from-orbit.

China and India have expressed interest in joining the International Space Station partnership in the future. How a Japanese withdrawal from the station partnership would impact the resupply capability offered by the HT are not immediately known. NASA has considered the JAXA re-supply and cargo vehicle an option following the first successful flight.