The International Space Station (ISS) requires both Russian and American crew members to maintain a safe operation environment, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on Wednesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2022) The International Space Station (ISS) requires both Russian and American crew members to maintain a safe operation environment, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on Wednesday.
"We built the Space Station together ... There's a Russian segment on the station. They provide the propulsion. We, the US, provide the electricity. So, for the safety of all the crew, as well as the operation of the station, we need both there," Nelson said ahead of the launch of an integrated crew to the ISS.
NASA and Roscosmos are sending a crew to the ISS later on Wednesday in partnership with entrepreneur Elon Musk's private aeronautics company SpaceX. The crew notably includes Anna Kikina, the only female cosmonaut at Roscosmos.
However, the future of international cooperation in space is uncertain, with Roscosmos only planning to continue participation in the ISS program until 2024. However, Russia will likely extend participation through 2028, according to Roscosmos CEO Yuri Borisov.
On Wednesday, Nelson said the United States expects Russia to remain an ISS partner until 2030.
International cooperation is a "magical thing" about space exploration, US astronaut Nick Hague told Sputnik on Tuesday. Russian and American crew members depend on each other while living on the ISS, Hague also said, likening them to a family.
