The General Director of the Russian space agency Roscosmos has warned that the International Space Station (ISS) could drift out of control if new sanctions affect cooperation with Russia in this area. This was reported by Western media outlets following a series of tweets by Dmitry Rogozin and a video he posted on his Telegram channel on Thursday evening.
Rogozin, 58, explained that cooperation is essential for the safe operation of the ISS, stating, "If the Americans refuse further cooperation, who will save the International Space Station from uncontrolled descent and crashing into American or European territories?" This statement implied a subtle threat regarding the station, which weighs 500 tons and does not pass over Russian territory. In response, former American astronaut Garrett Reisman, speaking on behalf of NASA, addressed the topic on CNN.
Reisman emphasized that NASA will continue to cooperate with Russia regarding the ISS, stating, "We do not believe that the new sanctions will affect this partnership and cooperation, and we will continue to work with our partners, including Roscosmos, to ensure the safe operation of the station." He confirmed that the new sanctions would not cover the monitoring of exports required for Russian-American cooperation in the civilian space sector. He also noted that there are no planned changes to NASA's support for ongoing operations in orbit.
While enemies on Earth, the U.S. and Russia are paradoxically becoming friends in space. This comes as both nations prepare to intensify their cooperation in space exploration despite being in the worst confrontation due to the war in Ukraine.
Currently, the ISS is home to a crew of seven astronauts: four Americans, two Russians, and one German. Two NASA astronauts are finishing their training with the Russian space agency, while three Russian astronauts are training with NASA in Texas. Additionally, five astronauts are preparing for training next month in Russia.
