NASA wants to increase the number of astronaut launches on American soil. Boeing is planning a test flight of a tiny spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) this week.
On the space station, Russia and America have long been collaborators, but the invasion of Ukraine has heightened tensions and raised worries about the future of the ISS.
IN SPACE - AUGUST 15: In this handout photo provided by NASA, Astronaut Rick Mastracchio, STS-118 mission specialist, participates in the mission's third planned session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station August 15, 2007 in Space. During the 5-hour, 28-minute spacewalk, Mastracchio and astronaut Clay Anderson (out of frame), Expedition 15 flight engineer, relocated the S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly from Port 6 (P6) to Port 1 (P1) truss, installed a new transponder on P1 and retrieved the P6 transponder.
ISS Serves As A Symbol Of Friendship, Collaboration
Despite the tumult 250 miles below, it appears to be business on the International Space Station more than two months after Russia started its attack against Ukraine.
Russian Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov stated that the battle on Earth didn't affect their relationship in space. The cosmonaut sees the International Space Station as a symbol of "friendship and cooperation."
"You know, when you're on the space station, it's like, there's Earth with all the other humans, and then we're here. And this is our community, our world right now," former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly told program host Miles O'Brien during the PBS News Hour.
Leroy Chiao, a former NASA astronaut and station commander in 2004 and 2005, also testified how ISS united the countries that battled during World War II and Cold War, to build the most audacious space construction project. According to him, it went off so well and still continues to operate well
Science Times previously reported that Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency, used social media to issue a series of frightening, even nuclear threats to his western counterparts on the International Space Station.
Kelly retaliated by telling Rogozon that if McDonald's still exists in Russia, he should apply there. The former NASA astronaut explained that he responded that way because he intended to grab Roscosmos' attention, and he succeeded.
"He said, if the space station is deorbited or something, or if the program is canceled, it's going to be my fault," Kelly told O'Brien in the same PBS News Hour program.
Meanwhile, Associate Administrator Kathryn Lueders of the Space Operations Mission Directorate stated that everyone is still cooperating. She went on to say that the flight controllers and the crews are still communicating and training together.
Lueders added that it would be a gloomy day for international operations if they couldn't continue to function peacefully in space, she continued.
Current Russia-Ukraine Crisis Harms ISS Survival Now
Wayne Hale, NASA Shuttle Program Manager, said during the PBS News Hour that the current Russia-Ukraine situation risks the International Space Station's survival. Hale went on to say that neither side would be able to live without the other.
While NASA is developing backup plans if the Russians abruptly withdraw, Hale believes they would be technologically impossible. Even so, teams are working on ways to keep its operation.
He admitted that things were probably not going to go smoothly and challenged the system. However, he underlined that this does not mean that their space station initiative would be terminated immediately.
Should Everyone Review The Agreement?
Former NASA Engineer and Manager Homer Hickam said in the same program the US and Western nations had imposed various sanctions against Russia. Yet, the International Space Station continues to operate.
However, he believes it is time to rethink the agreement and cease the lovely photo ops. Hickam noted that showing American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts embracing and playing with their meals is good optics.
He advised the astronauts to avoid such optics because, after all, the Russian government is currently engaged in a heinous war against Ukraine.
While the deal to maintain the space station in orbit ends in 2024, NASA hopes to keep it in orbit until 2030.
In less theatrical times, Dmitry Rogozin says Russia has taken its choice and will tell its partners a year ahead of time.
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