Despite tensions related to the invasion of Ukraine, NASA and Roscosmos have reached an agreement to send Americans on capsules Soyuz and fly Russian cosmonauts on Crew Dragon. Pragmatism to ensure a continuous presence in orbit.
On the Russian side, Dmitri Rogozin has left the space agency.
Goodbye Mr Director
Coincidence, coincidence of agenda or change of position? The petulant Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos since May 2018, has changed positions. Very invested, very nationalist and very virulent towards the West in particular since last February and the invasion of Ukraine, he would have been ousted, even if his departure from Roscosmos was not the subject of long explanations from the from the Kremlin. We have just learned that he has been replaced by Yuri Borisov. Friend of Vladimir Poutine, do not doubt that D. Rogozine will fall back on his feet with a post adapted to his measurement (it is evoked the possible administration of the occupied territories of Ukraine).
Nevertheless, the calendar questions: this replacement comes one day after a new rhetorical escalation against the European space agency… While a few hours after his departure, NASA announced that it had reached an agreement with Russia to exchange places in manned vehicles to the International Space Station.
USA and Russia swap places
These “exchanges of seats” do not necessarily reflect a political rapprochement between the United States and Russia… but greater flexibility to ensure permanence in orbit. Indeed the ISS cannot function normally without Russian and American crew members.
The presence of “mixed” members of the two agencies during the rotations makes it possible to guard against the classic hazards associated with space capsules and launchers: there are delays, periods when the launchers are grounded for checks, and even accidents. inherent in a practice as dangerous as manned spaceflight. Flying Russians on Crew Dragon and Americans on Soyuz thus ensures that if one or other of the vehicles were unavailable, there would always be a crew on duty on the station.
And it is not, as during the period when the American space shuttles were retired, purchases of seats… but exchanges.
Starting this fall!
This exchange agreement had been in the making for several months, but had to be completed in July to allow American and Russian astronauts to go to their respective destinations for training!
It will not be a question for them of piloting or commanding the capsule to which they are assigned, but of knowing the various procedures, in particular those related to safety, as well as better understanding the associated launchers and the infrastructures at the floor. The first exchange will take place this fall, with the Russian Anna Kikina who will fly on the next Crew Dragon, and the American Frank Rubio on Soyuz. Astronauts can already prepare their visa for next spring, it will be the turn of American Loral O’Hara on Soyuz and Andrei Fedyaev on Crew Dragon.
Source : space news
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