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WIll Rising US/Russia Tensions Affect ISS?

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
December 7, 2021
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WIll Rising US/Russia Tensions Affect ISS?

Biden to warn Putin of economic pain if he invades Ukraine, AP
“President Joe Biden is ready to warn Vladimir Putin during a video call Tuesday that Russia will face economy-jarring sanctions if it invades neighboring Ukraine as Biden seeks a diplomatic solution to deal with the tens of thousands of Russian troops massed near the Ukraine border. Biden aims to make clear that his administration stands ready to take actions against the Kremlin that would exact “a very real cost” on the Russian economy, according to White House officials. Putin, for his part, is expected to demand guarantees from Biden that the NATO military alliance will never expand to include Ukraine, which has long sought membership. That’s a non-starter for the Americans and their NATO allies.”
Keith’s note: Other than weird things like the mystery drill holes – and cost negotiations for rides on Soyuz – the US/Russia relationship within the ISS program has been very smooth and productive. Remarkably so. When you compare this to the rest of the US/Russia dynamic relationship, the ISS experience shines even brighter. Small wonder that some people have floated the notion of nominating ISS for the Nobel Peace Prize. That said, with mounting tensions in Ukraine, it is going to be interesting to see how well the ISS remains isolated from this – and when (inevitably?) it gets sucked in.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

18 responses to “WIll Rising US/Russia Tensions Affect ISS?”

  1. rb1957 says:
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    and the Russians will turn off their gas pipeline to Europe …

  2. Hari says:
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    Russia will just not fly its cosmonauts on SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner. Other than that slight inconvenience, what can Biden do?

  3. Richard Brezinski says:
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    the Russians might turn off the propulsion pipeline to the ISS. This keeps ISS in orbit. The Russians also provide cargo services, passenger services and half of the on board life support.

    • rb1957 says:
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      ? my comment was directed at political reaction from Russia for any US action (that Russia doesn’t like).
      Are propellants delivered by Soyuz ? (I suspect so) Is there anything in ISS design limiting propellant re-supply (like from Dragon) ?

      • SouthwestExGOP says:
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        The ISS itself does not have (operational) engines, the boosts are done with mostly Progress cargo vehicles (this might have changed, I am not completely up to speed).

    • SouthwestExGOP says:
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      Russia does provide passengers and cargo but their services could easily be replaced now that we have Cargo Dragon and Crew Dragon and the Cygnus. We may one day even have the Starliner! And the DreamChaser. The Russian life support mainly helps keep the Russian segment more livable, it could almost certainly be replaced. But the Russians would hardly turn off life support to their own segment.

      • fcrary says:
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        Dragon and Cygnus do not, to the best of my knowledge, have the ability to transfer fluids to the station. I think only Progress can do that.

        • SouthwestExGOP says:
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          I think that you are correct, the only fluids that Dragon or Cygnus could transfer would be bagged water for crew use. I am not sure if Progress could deliver water to the Russian segment. At one time the Russian segment did have functional engines but are they functional now? I don’t know.

  4. Bad Horse says:
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    Nothing will change.

  5. Secundius says:
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    It already has! I rather doubt that Russia’s arrest warrant on an American Astronaut made any long term existing tensions any less tense…