Russia's 'Space Hostage Drama'... NASA Paralyzed [Reading Science]

A video posted on Twitter by the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) on the 6th. American astronaut Mark Vande Hei (center) is greeting Russian astronauts. Source=Twitter video capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Contrary to the U.S. government's tough sanctions against Russia, NASA is treading carefully. It has instructed former NASA astronauts who engaged in arguments with Russian Federal Space Agency officials on social networks (SNS) to "keep quiet." This is interpreted as a measure to ensure the safety of "colleagues" as an American astronaut currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is expected to return on a Russian rocket later this month. Some speculate that Russia might be staging a "space hostage situation" on the ISS.

According to CNN on the 18th, NASA recently requested former astronauts, including Scott Kelly, to cease their disputes on Twitter and other SNS platforms with Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS), regarding the Ukraine war. Several former NASA astronauts, including Kelly, exchanged heated arguments with Rogozin and others on Twitter since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Notably, Kelly and others had been learning Russian for over a year to work on the jointly operated ISS, so communication was not an issue, which made the debates intense.

However, NASA sent an email from an anonymous official urging them to stop, stating, "There are things to be cautious about before attacking our Russian partners." NASA pointed out, "As Americans, you have freedom of expression and the right to voice your opinions, but please understand that as former NASA astronauts, your words can bring additional burdens," adding, "Attacking our Russian partners is harming the mission we currently face." Consequently, Kelly decided to end the disputes. He told CNN, "I don't necessarily have to comply with the request, but I respect NASA, the situation NASA is in, and the person who sent the letter."

NASA's "low-profile" stance is completely different from the U.S. government's tough response. When Russia crossed Ukraine's border and invaded on February 24, the U.S. government avoided direct conflict measures such as no-fly zones but imposed ultra-strong sanctions like removing Russia from the dollar payment system and banning oil and natural gas imports. It is also actively supporting weapons such as anti-tank missiles and drones. In contrast, NASA maintains the position that "cooperation with Russia on the ISS continues."

▲An astronaut conducting a spacewalk at the International Space Station in October 2014 against the backdrop of the blue Earth.
[Photo by NASA]

This is analyzed as NASA suffering from Russia's "space hostage situation." It is maintaining a low profile to guarantee the "safe return" of its astronaut currently aboard the ISS. In fact, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, currently on the ISS, is scheduled to return to Earth on the 30th aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.

However, on the 6th, Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian Federal Space Agency, suddenly posted a video on Twitter showing Russian astronauts aboard the ISS bidding farewell to Vande Hei and then returning to Earth on a rocket, leaving him behind. Of course, this was not real but a "virtual" scenario created by recombining existing footage. For NASA, this raised concerns that their astronaut might be abandoned on the ISS.

Kelly also said, "That video seems like a threat that Russia will abandon Vande Hei. Considering the decades of trust built between the U.S. and Russia in space, it is an unthinkable betrayal," adding, "I was horrified when I saw the video posted by Rogozin."

Meanwhile, since the U.S. discontinued the Space Shuttle program in 2011, it has been paying Russia to transport astronauts to and from the ISS.