Will Any Americans Support Mark Vande Hei's Soyuz Landing?
Russia Travel Advisory, State Department
“Do not travel to Russia due to the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine, the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials, the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, limited flights into and out of Russia, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law. U.S. citizens should depart Russia immediately.”
The invasion is all Putin. Russian citizens don’t want it. Their military doesn’t want it. Only the Russian equivalent of our Boomers believe the state sponsored media lies about Ukrainian nazis and fascism. Our international cooperation with the ISS should be divorced from Putin’s military ambitions and Rogozin’s bad attitude. US citizens supporting ISS ops should be allowed to do what’s necessary to support its continuing mission and the crew who depend on them.
Will point out that Mark Vande Hei is landing in Kazakhstan not Russia. He is going back to Houston from the nearest Kazakhstan airfield after landing.
Could an extra seat be flown up on the Crew 4 Dragon and transferred to Crew 3 so Mark can come home with them in April?
That leaves Vande Hei with no lifeboat seat for about a month. They could choose to do that and take the risk that in an emergency, he’d have to squeeze in Crew Dragon and ride home without a seat. If they choose that route, a better idea would to pay Axiom to bump someone from their flight at the end of this month.
Perhaps Jared Issacman can fly a Dragon up to pick him up…
That made me Laugh Out Loud. Thank you.
They will treat him like a guest and politely send him and related staff home.