<p>City lights shine through the clouds in an astronaut's view of southern California and Mexico's Baja California snapped from the <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html">International Space Station (ISS)</a> in August.</p><p>Earlier this month an <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/08/110824-russian-supply-ship-crashes-iss-crew-space-station-science/">unmanned Russian spacecraft bound for the ISS failed shortly after launch</a>, prompting mission managers to postpone the next scheduled human trips to the orbital laboratory until the cause of the crash can be determined and addressed.</p><p>The crew currently on board will stay longer than planned, and partner space agencies are now debating whether to completely abandon ship when it's time to bring the astronauts home.</p>

California Glow

City lights shine through the clouds in an astronaut's view of southern California and Mexico's Baja California snapped from the International Space Station (ISS) in August.

Earlier this month an unmanned Russian spacecraft bound for the ISS failed shortly after launch, prompting mission managers to postpone the next scheduled human trips to the orbital laboratory until the cause of the crash can be determined and addressed.

The crew currently on board will stay longer than planned, and partner space agencies are now debating whether to completely abandon ship when it's time to bring the astronauts home.

Photograph courtesy NASA

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