weighs a ton? reporter: on that 17-foot spacecraft will be 3,000 pounds of gear, much for scientific experiments, including 800 pavement ants. the answers will be studied to determine swarm intelligence in coordination with high schools and elementary schools across the country, trying to get youngsters interested in space exploration, also for the six person crew on the space station will be some fresh fruit and christmas presents. late because of the delay to the flight but still according to nasa, very much appreciated by the astronaut. they re keeping keeping the e station up for another ten years. why? up to 2014, and is going to require a fifth of nasa s budget. three billion dollars a year to keep the space station running in part there s concerns about continuing research for long-range travel in space, the effect it has on people to be up there a long time, possibly for preparings for manned flight to