American, Russians reach space station as war rages in Ukraine | Daily News

American, Russians reach space station as war rages in Ukraine

The International Space Station (ISS).
The International Space Station (ISS).

 KAZAKHSTAN: A US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts have arrived safely at the International Space Station (ISS), NASA said Wednesday, after blasting off on a Russian-operated flight in a rare instance of cooperation between Moscow and Washington.

The Russian space agency Roscosmos and NASA both distributed live footage of the launch from Kazakhstan and commentators speaking over the feed said it was stable and the crew was “feeling well”.

The three will spend six months on the ISS along with three other Russian cosmonauts, three other US astronauts and one Italian.

In response, Western capitals including Washington have hit Moscow with unprecedented sanctions and bilateral ties have sunk to new lows.

Russia’s only active female cosmonaut, Anna Kikina, is expected to travel to the orbital station in early October aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon.

Russian cosmonauts and Western astronauts have sought to steer clear of the conflict that is raging back on Earth, especially when in orbit together.

Tensions in the space field have grown since Washington announced sanctions on Moscow’s aerospace industry -- triggering warnings from Russia’s former space chief Dmitry Rogozin, an ardent supporter of the Ukraine war.

- INDIA TODAY

 


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