Cosmonauts AleksanderSkvortsov and Oleg Artemyev, astronaut Steve
Swanson, prepare to blast
off to the International Space Station in a
Soyuz rocket last month. As in
the film 2010 A Space
Odyssey, NASA
has announced it is
suspending work with Russia over the Ukraine crisis.
Russia Unmoved By NASA's 'Cancellation' of Space Cooperation (Vedomosti, Russia)
"'The application of any sanctions in the space field would set
Russian and the American space exploration back a decade, and bring irreparable
damage to Earth's entire civilization. ... The world powers fully understand
the impossibility of adopting any sanctions in this area. ... Russian
companies, as never before, are tied to the interests of American, European,
and other foreign corporations because of the great number of joint projects.'
In the high technology field, 'extreme caution is called for when taking
non-structural measures.'"
Russian cosmonauts Aleksander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev, and American astronaut Steve Swanson, prepare to blast off to the International Space Station in a Soyuz rocket, March 25. NASA says it's suspending space cooperation with Russia, except when it comes to the ISS. On the other hand, there is no other space cooperation with Russia ...
NASA
froze cooperation with Russia everywhere except on work connected with the International
Space Station, although Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin
has already said that there was no other cooperation with the United States. A
senior industry executive said that Russia knows "how to fly" without
NASA's help.
Vladimir
Solncev, director of NPOEnergomash, told RossiyskayaGazeta, "the application of any
sanctions in the space field "would set Russian and the American space
exploration back a decade, and bring irreparable damage to Earth's entire
civilization." The company produces the RD-180 rocket engine for
America's Atlas Rocket.
Solncev expressed confidence that "the world
powers fully understand the impossibility of adopting any sanctions" in
this area. He explained that now, the interests of Russian companies, "as
never before, are tied to the interests of American, European, and other
foreign corporations" because of "the great number of joint projects,"
and that in the high technology field, "extreme caution is called for when
taking non-structural measures."
The
decision to suspend cooperation with Russia, except for work to support the ISS, is due to the "continuing violations of Ukraine’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity by Russia," NASA said in a statement.
Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin, who also oversees the
aerospace industry, wrote on Twitter that Russia," except for on the ISS, has no cooperation with NASA."
"We
depend on NASA a little," said a senior executive in the industry, who wishes
to remain anonymous, told RIA Novosti. "We know how to fly, what to fly - and
what to do," he said. "This is a serious moment. It's hard to say how
Russia will reciprocate until the Russian Federation, at the highest level, makes
a political decision. So now, further comments aren't needed, as these can do
damage," said the industry insider.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
According
to The Verge, in a memorandum circulated for official use only, NASA
employees are "banned from travel to Russia," as are "visits by
Russian government representatives to NASA facilities, bilateral meetings, e-mail,
and teleconferences or videoconferences." The publication reported that even
before the official announcement, such contacts were "limited unless the
activity has been specifically excepted." According to The
Verge, not all NASA employees
agree with what's happening.
"Everyone
is wondering, 'Why are we doing this?' 'Why is NASA the chosen place to punish
Russia?'" the edition quotes an anonymous staff from the department.
NASA
is calling for the speedy construction of its own manned spacecraft, and to get
rid of dependence on Russia for sending American astronauts to the ISS. Such ship could be built by 2017. Unless Congress allocates
necessary funds, the United States will continue "to send millions of
dollars to the Russians," NASA warns.
