Tensions between Russia and the U.S. are high on the ground.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that the U.S. is working in Ukraine with Nazis, while President Biden labels Putin a “war criminal.”
However, aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the tone is quite different. American astronauts live side by side with Russian cosmonauts. They regularly check in with mission control centres in both countries. Supplies arrive onboard Russian and U.S. spacecraft.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson anticipates that all of that will continue in the future. Nelson stated that he does not see anything that could disrupt that professional relationship at a Senate hearing earlier in the month. “No matter how terrible Putin’s conduct of war in Ukraine, it is so disastrous.”
However, experts are concerned that the long-standing relationship with the station is ending as it nears its end.
Scott Kelly, an astronaut who spent nearly a year living alongside Russian cosmonauts, said that “I hope it can hold it together as long we can.”
He also said that NASA should be prepared for Russia’s withdrawal. “I think they’ve shown me that they can do anything,” he stated.
The space station has been a symbol of unity and cooperation between many nations for 23 years.
In 1998, it was launched as a U.S./Russian joint project. It seemed that the two enemies could come together to make a fresh start. Each side needed the other to survive. The U.S. supplies power and Russia maintains the station’s altitude and orientation.
Mariel Borowitz, associate professor at Georgia Institute of Technology’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, says that at the time it was in America’s national interest to engage Russia. She says that the joint program allowed Russian rocket scientists to continue working in a time of political and economic instability for Russia.
Kelly points out that NASA could save money by not relying on Russia for certain functions.
2011 saw an increase in interdependence. NASA has retired the space shuttle that used to transport astronauts and supplies to the station. The space agency was unable to launch the space shuttle and relied instead on Russia’s space program for its astronauts. Kelly claims that the Russian space program was an excellent choice for launching people into orbit. He says, “They can reliably launch three people into space and return them home.” They do this very well.
Although the U.S. might have required a ride, they also had enough money to pay for Russia’s space agency aEUR.”
NASA spent billions of dollars over the years to purchase seats on the Soyuz rocket. This helped keep the Russian space program financially viable.
Even though the Earth has been suffering, the symbiotic relationship has remained strong. Wars, assassinations attempts and accusations of political meddling have not caused the station to drift off course. The collaboration is now being reshaped by a combination of technical and geopolitical factors.
SpaceX began officially transporting NASA astronauts from the station in 2020. This ended America’s dependence on Russian rockets.
Although the end of this vital link was significant at the time, it pales in comparison with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This war has caused tension in almost all aspects of U.S.-Russian relations and has already broken another long-standing Russian partnership with the European Space Agency (or ESA).
Tomas Hrozensky is a research fellow at The European Space Policy Institute in Vienna. He said that there was ongoing cooperation between Europe, Russia and other things. ESA has thrown Russia out of its lunar program and the long-awaited European mission is now suspended. It was due to launch later in the year aboard a Russian rocket.
Josef Aschbacher (ESA director general) stated that Russia has been subject to significant sanctions as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. This was said at a NASA press conference. He acknowledged that the decision to suspend the rover’s mission was “painful”.
As the war heated up, Russia’s interest has cooled in Western collaboration.
The country suspended Soyuz launches at ESA’s French Guiana spaceport as a response to European sanctions. Dmitry Rogozin (the head of Russia’s space agency), hinted late last month that Russia might soon pull out from the space station.
Rogozin stated that “the decision has already been taken,” during an interview with Russian state television. We are not required to discuss it publicly. One thing can I say is that we will inform our partners one year before the end of our work with the ISS, in compliance with our obligations.”
NASA wants to keep the station operational until 2030. However, the Russian components are some of the oldest and have been certified to work until 2024. This is according to Anatoly Zak (publisher of Russianspaceweb.com), a website that has followed the Russian space program for a long time. He says that Russia will need additional investments as well as political commitments beyond the date.
Borowitz and Zak both say they aren’t sure how serious to take Rogozins threat of withdrawing. Borowitz points out that he has made similar statements before, but without the space station or some other replacement, “they are going to be in an environment where their cosmonauts do not have a clear mission.”
Zak states that Russia would not be able to afford human spaceflight if it didn’t have the necessary political support. Russian propaganda and Russian politics are influenced greatly by the space program.
The station was indeed a key player in Russia’s latest propaganda campaign.
Zak reports that Soviet-era memorabilia is starting to show up in the Russian section of the station. Two cosmonauts also unfurled a Soviet victory banner on an April spacewalk to commemorate Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany. This banner was also flown recently by Russian forces in Ukraine.
Scott Kelly, a NASA astronaut, says that the U.S. must begin to think about ways it can keep the station operational without Russia. He says, “It would really really be difficult, but I think NASA excels at doing really, really difficult things.”
Kelly, a vocal opponent of Russia’s actions, said he supported continuing to work together in space for the moment.
However, as war rages on and atrocities are reported, he believes his views could change. “At some point things like murdering innocent persons, rape or genocide aEUR” will outweigh the importance of space cooperation.