The world is on high alert because of the crisis. Since Russian troops began arriving in the border regions between the two countries, there have been fears of conflict. Since the invasion began, there have been genuine fears that it could spill over into neighboring states and lead to a nuclear standoff. Concerns have been raised about the toll it might take on international efforts in space.
The funding of the International Space Station is made possible by the cooperative efforts of NASA and other space agencies. It was rather curious when RIA Novosti posted a video online that showed Russian cosmonauts packing up and leaving the International Space Station. The message is clear: cooperation in space may be the next casualty of this war.
The video appeared on Telegram, a cloud-based instant messaging platform that was previously restricted in Russia. The video shows the Russian segment of the International Space Station, with the cosmonauts entering and closing the hatches behind them.
The video shows the Russian segment detaching from the station and the footage of the mission controllers at the RKA Mission Control Centre. The video ends with a statement that says: "This is based on real events."
The war of words between Russian sources and astronauts on social media appears to have been intensified by this video. On the same day that NASA Watch shared the video, the head of the Russian space agency sent out a statement.
“The blame for the collapse of cooperation in space lies on the shoulders of the United States, Britain, France and Germany. These countries destroyed what was created by mankind with such difficulty, what was created by the blood and sweat of those people who mastered space.”
He made similar statements in an interview with Russian state television. It was mirrored by a number of statements and actions taken by Russia in recent weeks, all of which appeared to show how Russia could threaten or hold up operations. It all began with the support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the threat to stop working on the International Space Station.
Russia will no longer service Russian-made engines used to launch American satellites. Shortly after the U.S. President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Russia, Rogozin issued a series of hostile statements. In one, he said that the ISS could fall on Europe if it weren't for Roscosmos.
“Europe? There is also the option of dropping a 500-ton structure to India and China. Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? The ISS does not fly over Russia, so all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them? Gentlemen, when planning sanctions, check those who generate them for illness.”
While arguing with a user who voiced criticism of his support for Putin and the invasion of Ukraine, he wrote: "Reading the news feed, you see what chronic hatred the West has for Russia."
The video he posted on March 2nd appeared to have the biggest impact. In this video, technicians at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan are shown taping over the American and Japanese flag decals on a Russian rocket, with the caption: "The launchers at Baikonur decided that without the flags of some countries, our rocket would look more."
Scott Kelly, the famous NASA Astronaut who spent over a year on the International Space Station as part of the NASA Twins Study, responded to this. On March 6th, Kelly responded (in Russian), "Dimon, without those flags and the foreign exchange they bring in, your space program won't be worth a damn." If McDonald's still exists in Russia, you might be able to find a job there.
Coca-Cola and Starbucks recently decided to suspend operations in Russia. Kelly took things to a new level, reposting a message that appeared to have been posted angrily. Kelly triumphantly posted the notification that he had been blocked. I believe it is called check and mate in the world of social media.
It is not possible to predict how this conflict will end or how it will affect the space programs. The International Space Station has been a symbol of cooperation between the nations for over 20 years. Relations between Russia and the west were strained because of the situation in the peninsula of Crimea, where Russian forces annexed the peninsula in response to the ousting of a pro-Russian President.
Russian claimed in 2015 that its modules would remain with the International Space Station until at least 2024. Many hope that Russia can be persuaded to keep its commitment until the decommission date. Politics and disputes between its member nations have never been ignored by the ISS. It is sad to see that the conflict could spill over into space.
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