Europe-Canada Eye Soyuz to ISS Deal

European and Canadian space officials are in talks with Russia to purchase dedicated Soyuz capsules to ferry their astronauts to the International Space Station for Soyuz spacecraft to fly short-duration missions beginning sometime between 2013 and 2016, reports Spaceflight Now.

The Russians have the only means to gain space station access following the new retirement schedule of the space shuttle fleet in early 2011. The Europeans have expanded the French Guiana spaceport to include the Russian-made Soyuz ST for the first of 25 launches later this year. Commercial spaceflight participant (space toruist) launches have been sidelined of late due to the level of American and European demand for the Soyuz.