The Russian Surprise
It came minutes before the big ISS annual conference
The International Space Station (ISS) is filled with experiments. Scientific research is its main purpose. Once a year, the companies that create those experiments get together with NASA, and the ISS National Lab organization, which helps facilitate all this research.
I was pleased to be asked to moderate one of the panels for the ISSR&D conference and it looked like a good one. The guests included two scientists proving technology on the ISS, NASA leadership for the station, and a conversation with two of the US astronauts on board. It’s always a thrill to talk to astronauts in space!
Just minutes before we were to take the stage in a big ballroom in Washington DC, an alert hit. From the Associated Press: “Russia will pull out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost.” Great, Russia’s new space chief is quoted just minutes before this big gathering of international partners is set to start. Coincidence?
RUSSIA-UKRAINE
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine and many Western nations imposed sanctions, NASA has tried to stay above the fray and preserve its partnership with Russia in space. The head of the Russian space agency didn’t make it easy. He and former Astronaut Scott Kelly got into a twitter back-and-forth. Then there was that picture of the three cosmonauts, including the current commander of the ISS, holding the flag of a captured province of Ukraine, proclaiming Russian victory.
NASA had to “rebuke” that bit of propaganda, but kept working on keeping Russia onboard for the extended life of the ISS until 2030. A week and a half ago, the Russians signed on and the head of the space agency was replaced.
SCIENCE IN SPACE
It looked like our panel could concentrate on science and research with just a mention about Russia and the now-signed extension agreement. That news alert changed all that. Suddenly, there was an elephant in the room. NASA had not received any official word from its Russian counterparts about the report of leaving after 2024. Joel Mantalbano, the ISS Program Manager, mentioned the report to the audience.
(Credit: NASA)
My panel started and it was now time to talk to the astronauts. They don’t have their phones with them. They aren’t getting alerts like you and me. But I felt I had to mention the latest development. I told them what the report said. I did not ask them to comment on it. I instead asked how are relations on the ISS with their colleagues?
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Astronaut Kjell Lindgren showed a bit of skill answering the question. “We continue to work every day to conduct the science and research that we've been trained to conduct,” he said, adding, “And, so as a crew, we continue to work towards mission success, and that is everybody working together to make sure that we're accomplishing the science and keeping the crew and the vehicle safe.”
Astronaut Kjell Lindgren talks about the current working conditions on the ISS with Russian colleagues. (Credit: NASA/ISSR&D)
The NASA Houston flight center has some very talented people running these downlinks with the ISS. They start right on time with a specific call out to the astronauts by the interviewer, and then end on the dot too. Our time was up. The audience applauded and the astronauts did a zero-gravity sumersault.
NASA’s ISS leadership team then came on stage. The top boss in headquarters for the station is Robyn Gatens. My first question was about the news from Russia and what it really means. Gatens said NASA had received no official word from its partners in Moscow.
Montalbano added the NASA plan is to continue to operate with the Russians for the duration of the agreement. He did suggest the ISS could be extended a couple more years beyond the 2030 agreement. Both NASA leaders made it clear they want Russia to remain a partner on the ISS.
Late in the day the official word about this news alert came from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who said, “NASA is committed to the safe operation of the International Space Station through 2030, and is coordinating with our partners. NASA has not been made aware of decisions from any of the partners, though we are continuing to build future capabilities to assure our major presence in low-Earth orbit.”
VARYING REACTIONS
Former Astronaut Scott Kelly pointed out that the Russian statement is open-ended, sometime after 2024. His former colleague Garrett Reisman thinks the Russians might be serious and NASA should prepare. It does appear changes in relationships in space are coming.
With the Russian surprise dealt with on our panel, we turned to research and development on the station. The two astronauts talked about the dual purpose of all that science- to learn about long-duration space travel and breakthroughs that can help us on earth.
RESEARCH FOR EARTH & DEEP SPACE
Lindgren says the astronauts working on these experiments are bridge builders. “Building that bridge, to return to the moon and then ultimately to make our way to Mars. And from the smallest experiment that we see up here, to the more kind of milestone experiments, you really do get a sense that all of these are on that roadmap to enable us to do that deep space exploration.”
Astronauts Jessica Watkins and Kjell Lindgren discuss the importance of their research for deep space travel and life on earth. (Credit: NASA/ISSR&D)
Jessica Watkins, on her first mission to the ISS, sees the payoff for all of us. “A lot of the science that we're doing here on station also has turned his benefits for humanity back on Earth. It has applications to directly, to making life better for humans on Earth right now,” she said.
It was a wonderful conversation despite the Russian surprise.
(Cover photo credit: NASA)
We are in a decade of Transportation Transformation. That's what Full Throttle explores. The newsletter will be delivered twice a week for free once you subscribe here. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin.
A final note from the ISSR&D conference. Who says rocket scientists don't have a sense of humor? Experiments sometimes need to be shaken, not stirred.