Russian Space Head To Halt ISS Cooperation Citing “Illegal Sanctions” 

Tensions between Russia and the US on Earth have had broader implications for the two nations’ partnership in low Earth orbit aboard the International Space Station (ISS). 

Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, tweeted Saturday morning that he would suspend cooperation on the ISS and partnerships with NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) as he criticized Western sanctions designed to severely damage the Russian economy (already appear to be working as recession imminent). 

“The purpose of the sanctions is to kill the Russian economy, plunge our people into despair and hunger, and bring our country to its knees. It is clear that they will not be able to do this, but the intentions are clear,” Rogozin said.

“That’s why I believe that the restoration of normal relations between the partners at the International Space Station (ISS) and other projects is possible only with full and unconditional removal of illegal sanctions,” he continued.

Rogozin added “specific proposals” on when to end the “cooperation within the framework of the ISS with the space agencies of the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Japan” will be discussed with Moscow “in the near future.” 

Rogozin sent letters to NASA, the ESA, and the CSA to lift sanctions on Russian space and rocket companies. He posted the responses of all major agencies, which gave generic answers and appeared not to budge on sanctions. 

NASA’s response 

Глава НАСА сенатор Нельсон, руководитель Европейского космического агентства Йозеф Ашбахер и глава Канадского космического агентства Лиза Кэмпбелл ответили на моё к ним обращение с требованием отмены санкций против ряда предприятий российской ракетно-космической отрасли. pic.twitter.com/rnMYiK9wal

— РОГОЗИН (@Rogozin) April 2, 2022

ESA’s response 

Что касается ответа Европейского космического агентства, то Йозеф Ашбахер выступил в роли почтальона, подтвердив, что он такие вопросы не решает, а потому перенаправил моё обращение странам-членам ЕС. То есть нам предлагается подождать, пока бюрократии всех 28 стран Евросоюза pic.twitter.com/D3uzV6vVO9

— РОГОЗИН (@Rogozin) April 2, 2022

CSA’s response

Американский и канадский ответ написаны практически под копирку. В частности, в письме Билла Нельсона говорится, что “НАСА продолжит взаимодействовать с соответствующими федеральными ведомствами и агентствами США в целях содействия дальнейшему сотрудничеству в рамках МКС и ее pic.twitter.com/db7IZIAsZx

— РОГОЗИН (@Rogozin) April 2, 2022

Rogozin is known for provocative statements and threatened to end Russian cooperation on the ISS last month. He also said one disastrous result of Russia pulling out of the ISS would be an “uncontrolled de-orbit” of the 500-ton space station. That’s because Russia is responsible for ISS’ propulsion systems. 

Last week, Rogozin suspended all European launches of satellites. Meanwhile, British satellite venture OneWeb has contracted Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch satellites instead of Russia. 

Russia has already said it will pull out of the ISS by 2025, though Moscow’s special military operation” in Ukraine and following sanctions by Western countries has expedited their departure. Roscosmos has already begun work on a new space station. 

Even in space, global superpowers who once worked together for decades are quickly unwinding relations as here on Earth, a new world order is emerging, one that is multi-polar. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s annual shareholder recently warned about that.