NASA Says Has No Plans Yet For EU, Russian Cosmonauts To Fly On US Crew Dragon Spacecraft

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2020) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has no plans yet to include EU, Canadian and Russian cosmonauts on the upcoming flights aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on Tuesday.

When asked when Russians, Europeans, or Canadians will fly on Crew Dragon for the first time, Bridenstine said, "That's undetermined at this point."

However, Bridenstine said a Japanese astronaut will be NASA's first international partner aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

"So, we are excited about that, but as far as other international partners [flying] in the future - that has not yet been determined," he said.

Bridenstine also pointed out that to complement both Russian cosmonauts and US astronauts aboard the ISS, the United States needs to be willing to launch Russian cosmonauts on commercial Crew Dragon, while Russia needs to be will to launch American astronauts on the Soyuz spacecraft.

"In my last conversations with [Roscosmos head] Dmitry Rogozin, I think we were both in strong agreement that that was necessary for both nations as we move forward," Bridenstine said.

On Wednesday, NASA is set to launch from the United States two astronauts - Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken - on a US spacecraft to the ISS for the first time since the Space Shuttle program was terminated in 2011.

NASA has said it considers the upcoming mission a final test flight before certifying the SpaceX's Crew Dragon for operational, long-duration missions to the ISS.