The atmosphere is heated on Earth with the Russian attack on Ukraine. But can the conflict also reach the space? The truth is that, at least in the International Space Station (ISS)Yes, the consequences could be felt. Let us not forget that it is the result of an agreement between various space agencies, including the POT and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. Since the President of the United States, Joe Bidenhas shown its commitment to establish harsh sanctions on Russia As a result of his attack on the neighboring country, anything could happen.
In fact, Biden announced yesterday, February 24th, in a press conference that the Russian space industry would be compromised by sanctions. This aroused the anger of the director of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozinwho did not hesitate to launch a harsh warning from his Twitter account about what could happen if the North American country ends its space agreement.
However, given this publication, NASA hastened to release a statement in which it ensures that its commitment to the Russian space agency still intact. It seems that the tensions have gone beyond the earth’s surface. And the worst thing is that, unfortunately, it seems that all this has only just begun.
The conflict of Russia and Ukraine beyond the Earth
Shortly after the Russian army opened fire on Ukraine, scores of leaders from around the world rushed to condemn the attackas well as to threaten possible reprisals against the Vladimir Putin’s government. One of them, of course, was Bidenwho in a press conference made the following statement:
“We estimate that we will cut off more than half of high-tech imports from Russia. That will deal a blow to its ability to continue modernizing its military. It will degrade your aerospace industry, including your space program.”
Joe Biden, President of the United States
Faced with this statement, Rogozin assured This is not the first time they have received this type of threat. Already in 2014, when Russia annexed the peninsula of crimeathe United States chose to limit Russian access to radiation resistant space microelectronics. Even so, as the director of Roscosmos recalls, they found a way to finish building a spaceship.
However, remember that if they vetoed the rest of the space agencies there would also be consequences at the international level. And it is that today many launches are made in the Russian space port of Baikonur, in Kazakhstan.
On the other hand, it warns of the consequences of restricting exchange programs training between astronauts and cosmonauts, as well as programs aimed at avoiding the dangers of space debris. At this point he makes a comment to “his talented employers of him,” no doubt referring to tycoons like Elon Muskwhose space company, SpaceXis being heavily criticized by astrophysicists for plaguing the sky with satellites that make space observations difficult.
But, without a doubt, the most dangerous fact to which he refers is what could happen if they do not help prevent an uncontrolled departure from orbit of the International Space Station. Remember that these installations do not pass over Russia, but over Europe and Americaso the consequences would not be suffered by the Russians.
After these harsh statements, NASA launched to issue a releasereproduced by numerous media. In it, the agency’s spokesman, Joshua Finchappealed for calm, assuring that, despite what happened, they continue to work with all their international partners, including Roscosmos. In addition, they point out that “the new export control measures will continue to allow the civil space cooperation between the United States and Russia”. And also that “no changes are planned in the agency’s support for ongoing operations in orbit and ground stations.”
How could the International Space Station be affected?
Beyond the declarations of each other, the view of all the space agencies that collaborate in the International Space Station is placed on its current crew.
There is currently an ESA astronaut, Matthias Maurerfour from NASA, Mark Vande Hei, Raja Chari, Thomas Marshburn, and Kayla Barronand Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov.
Having members of both sides of this contest there could complicate matters, although NASA assures that this will not be the case. For now, Vande Hei is scheduled to return to Earth on March 30th and for this we will use a soyuz ship Russian.
This is another point that could complicate everything after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. After NASA retired its space shuttle in 2011, astronaut shipments to the International Space Station have been made almost exclusively via soyuz capsules. That has given Russia a lot of independence. However, that almost It is not by chance, because in 2020 the first successful shipment of astronauts was made in the SpaceX Crew Dragon. The arrival of private companies in the space race weakens the Roscosmos monopoly in this regard. Although it is still very powerful.
Therefore, synergies should not be broken. Neither to some, nor to others. Russia’s attack on Ukraine has already shown how far human greed and evil can go. Science should be away from all that. Hopefully it will be so and this terrible fight will not go beyond the Earth. We have enough to put up with it.