The Ukraine war delays and complicates space cooperation

Dmitry Rogozin is the Minister and Head of the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos.

His response to Biden's statement was that if the United States "sabotages cooperation, who will prevent the ISS from crashing on American or European soil".  

"ESA complies with EU sanctions"

ISS, the International Space Station, is the symbol of cooperation in space.

There are seven people on board, of which two are Russians.

Everyone is completely dependent on the earth.

And on earth, there has been a real conflict now.  

But astronauts and cosmonauts can not disagree, says Christer Fuglesang, professor at KTH and astronaut who made two turns on the ISS, 2006 and 2009.  

- It depends on which individuals are there, but you keep it at a very careful level.

You can not start to become aggressive towards each other.  

- My guess, by the way, is that the Russians there probably think much like most others.

That this is entirely for the forest, says Fuglesang.  

"This" is, of course, the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

And it has already affected space cooperation:  

- ESA follows the EU's sanctions and interrupts a lot, then Russia responds by bringing home all the staff it has in Kourou.

It will delay and increase the cost of projects and research, says Fuglesang. 

"Not reasonable to send up from Russia"

The Swedish Space Agency's Director General Anna Rathsman says that it is now not possible to conclude formal agreements or send people to Russia.

She is worried about the cooperation on board the ISS.  

- I hope that this can be over this political conflict, it is not good for anyone if it hurts.

There is an addiction and very important research is being done, she says.  

Russia has for several years been the player that transports people, supplies and fuel to the ISS.

Russian rockets have been used to launch Swedish and European satellites.

This would have been the case with the upcoming Swedish climate satellite Mats.

But that will not be the case now.  

- We have decided that we will look for another launch option.

It is not reasonable to send up from Russia right now, says Anna Rathsman.  

Christer Fuglesang thinks that research collaboration with Russia should be suspended.  

- Not everything, but what is formal and what adds resources to the Russian side.

It sends clear signals.

But on a personal level, we should not stop talking to our friends there, he says.