KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – Even as Russia enters into a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the nation remains a critical American ally in space.
Space Florida believes the American and Russian space programs will stay allies because he said astronauts and cosmonauts need each other to operate the International Space Station.
Four Americans and two Russians are on the station right now including Mark Vande Hei, the last American to get to space on a Russian rocket.
The NASA astronaut looked uncomfortable when asked last week if the crew onboard was talking about the threat of war.
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‘’We haven’t had a lot of conversations about current events on the border with Ukraine so, yea, that’s all I can say,’’ Vande Hei said.
Vande Hei is scheduled to go home after three more Russians fly to the station next month.
Dale Ketcham with Space Florida does not expect the schedule to change because of the invasion.
Because of Russia, astronauts were still able to get to the station after the Columbia disaster in 2003 and the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011.
‘’Hopefully, what we’ll look back on is our cooperation in space will be one of the keystones of us rebuilding a relationship once the Russians stop aggressing in Europe,’’ Ketcham said.
President Joe Biden said sanctions will hurt the Russian space program.
For right now, the hatches separating the American and Russian sides of the space station remain open.