New Russia sanctions won't imperil ISS operations, NASA says

NASA assures us that the International Space Station program will not be affected by the new sanctions against Russia.

Russia invaded Ukraine today. New and severe sanctions were announced by the U.S. President Joe Biden in a public address today. NASA asserts that civil cooperation between the U.S. and Russia in space, particularly with regard to the International Space Station, will continue despite the new sanctions.

NASA continues to work with all of its international partners, including the State Space Corporation, for the safe operations of the International Space Station. Civil space cooperation between the U.S. and Russia will continue despite the new export control measures. NASA said in a statement today that there are no plans to change the agency's support for ongoing operations.

The International Space Station will plunge into the sea in 2031.

In a public, televised statement earlier today, President Biden discussed the new sanctions, stating that there will be new limitations on what can be exported to Russia.

We estimate that we will cut off more than half of Russia's high-tech imports. Their ability to continue modernizing their military will be hit by that. He said that it will degrade their industry, including their space program.

Biden did not mention NASA or the space station in his statements. The director of Russia's space agency posted a thread on his account after the speech, under the assumption that the new sanctions will affect the space partnerships between Russia and the US.

Do you want to destroy our cooperation on the International Space Station?

If you block cooperation with us, who will save the International Space Station from falling into the United States or Europe? A 500-ton structure can be dropped to India and China. Do you want to hurt them? The risks are yours because the ISS does not fly over Russia. Are you prepared for them?

NASA's statement that followed later tonight seems to suggest that the new sanctions will not interfere with international collaboration off Earth.

If you want to follow her, email her at cgohd@space.com. Follow us on social media.