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PHOTOGRAPH BY IRINA SPECTOR/GCTC/NASA
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By Victoria Jaggard, SCIENCE Executive Editor
An astronaut returning from the International Space Station hardly ever makes headlines these days. After more than 20 years of operations, getting humans to and from orbit has become routine. But the world will be watching when NASA’s Mark Vande Hei (shown above) touches down at the end of March: He’s headed to Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz capsule in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Spacefaring nations including the U.S. and the U.K. swiftly condemned the invasion and imposed sanctions on Russia that are having widespread effects. For one, the Russian space agency Roscosmos operates one of the station’s core segments, prompting concern about continued cooperation on board.
Yes, among the far-reaching consequences of Moscow’s unprovoked attack may be disruptions in space exploration.
Of course, any worries about space missions pale in comparison to the tragedy unfolding on the ground, as Ukrainian people are forced to fight for their homes, take refuge in bunkers, and flee across borders. What’s more, the situation with the ISS has so far generated mostly bluster. Despite a fiery Twitter rant by the Roscosmos director-general, NASA is sticking to the cool but firm message that nothing on board the station will change.
A similar row erupted over the Atlas V rocket, a workhorse that has successfully launched multiple missions for NASA. These rockets use Russian-made engines. But rocket operator United Launch Alliance says they won’t be affected by sanctions since all the engines they need are already in the U.S., and they know how to use them.
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