Commercial Crew Problems

[sgt_flyer]

Yes, but the ISS would be preserved.

In a few decades or a century someone will probably attach some modern modules to allow docking, and turn the interior into a museum.

The russians might have a say as they want to keep their modules (especially their most recent ones) for their future space station (afterwards, i don't know if they would be able to fund it, but that's another story ) - as those modules notably house the life support systems - and would require disassembling ISS, guess it's better to deorbit what would be left of it. (Unless some private sectir company wants to purchase what's left to make something else)

[Kryten]

The russians might have a say as they want to keep their modules (especially their most recent ones) for their future space station (afterwards, i don't know if they would be able to fund it, but that's another story ) - as those modules notably house the life support systems - and would require disassembling ISS, guess it's better to deorbit what would be left of it. (Unless some private sectir company wants to purchase what's left to make something else)

The only modules the Russians are considering keeping are ones that haven't been launched yet (UM, Nauka et.c.). They had enough trouble with Mir, they don't want to be dependent on hardware that at that point would be outright decrepit.

[Newt]

The private sector would end up (if space tourisms kicks in) making launches beyond ISS decommision (even if it's on'y for a few orbits / or even bigelow's space hotel) - which means US companies will still retain LEO crew launch capabilities even after the commercial crew contract ends. (So, if a new research space station is built - they'll only have to book some flights from those companies which retained those capabilities)

Rating a vehicle safe for astronauts and rating it safe for the common person are two very different things. Spacex seems so far to not be making a fantastically reliable vehicle, and though I have no doubt it will improve, it seems that the risk is somewhat high for prospective space tourists. The same goes for probably all of the CCDev'ers. To be honest, given the choice, I would go on a tiny cramped Soyuz before a more spacious Dragon. Not that I would be a space tourist anyway.