Awkward! A NASA Astronaut Is Currently Scheduled to Fly Back to Earth in a Russian Spacecraft

The tense situation between Russia and the United States has made it awkward for NASA to send Mark Vande Hei back to Earth in a Russian spaceship.

The international space community has distanced itself from Russia after the country invaded Ukraine. NASA retired the Space Shuttle back in 2011; Russia's Soyuz rockets were the main way to send astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

Over the past few years, the power dynamics at the station have started to change, with NASA being able to send astronauts to the station directly again. Vande Hei got to the station on a Soyuz last year and will be going home as well. Let's hope he's good at small talk.

One Last Time

Vande Hei could crowd into the upcoming private Ax-1 mission on its return from the station to avoid the awkward trip. NASA said no when a space reporter asked if that was being considered.

The sentiment of NASA is that operations on the International Space Station are going well despite all the tension back on Earth.

It's a precarious situation, given that the US and Russia have collaborated for decades on the International Space Station. Vande Hei will have to board a rocket to end his 355 day stay on the outpost.

He will be one of the last NASA astronauts to rely on a Soyuz trip because of the increasing prowess of the company, and because of the tensions between the US and Russia.

There is a reason NASA doesn't have to submit to Russia.

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