"The International Space Station will increase its permanent crew in 2006, possibly doubling the current three-person limit. The expansion was agreed by ISS partner nations at a meeting in Tokyo on Friday. It will solve a critical staffing gap that is severely limiting scientific research on the ISS. Running the ISS requires the full attention of 2.5 people, leaving little time for the research which is supposed to be a key purpose of the station. In July, a NASA-commissioned report concluded that a three-person crew could not conduct meaningful research. The crew size is limited by the capacity of the "lifeboats" - the emergency escape vehicles. Currently, Russia supplies three-seat Soyuz capsules, one of which is left at the ISS at all times." http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993156
