American astronaut and former ISS Commander Terry Woerts spoke out in connection with the recent situation when Russian cosmonauts used the space station for anti-Ukrainian propaganda . He also recalled other cases of inappropriate behavior by Russia in the field of space cooperation, for example, the publications of Rogozin (the head of Roskosmos) on Twitter, which were threats. He spoke about all this and how to deal with the partnership on the ISS in an author’s column on The Hill.
“He (Rogozin) tweeted not very veiled threats against NASA and the West, boasting that Roscosmos is building nuclear weapons that can be used against us. He threatened to leave American astronauts in space. He threatened to deorbit the ISS so that it fell into our territory, ”recalls Terry Wurts.
The astronaut also recalls that in addition to threats in space, Russia is waging a full-scale war on Earth and, in fact, is a terrorist state.
“Much worse than these youthful ravings (if threats of nuclear war can be childish) is actually the war that Russia is waging in Europe. They killed tens of thousands of Ukrainians. They deliberately targeted civilians (also known as war crimes). They senselessly destroyed hundreds of billions of dollars worth of property.
This is the country of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2022 – a terrorist state and our partner in the International Space Station, ”Terry Wörths clarifies.
With all this in mind, the astronaut wonders: what is the use of Russia’s participation in the ISS partnership if they are going to use it to support Putin’s war and threaten Europe and the United States with nuclear strikes?
“The ISS should be a symbol of peace and unity, but Russia has chosen to use it as a propaganda tool for aggression,” continues Terry Wörths.
He reminds that China was denied a partnership in the ISS due to the authoritarian model of governance regarding human rights and the theft of intellectual property. If the ISS project were launched now, then Putin’s Russia would not be invited to any space initiative. But the ISS partnership was started 30 years ago, Russia is taking part in the project, and now something needs to be done about it.
Terry Wurts suggested that NASA should have two guiding principles in the future.
“First, we must begin the process of Russia withdrawing from the ISS partnership. Secondly, we must minimize the impact of this disconnect on the United States and other partner countries, which have invested a huge amount of time and money in the space station, ”he said.
Unfortunately, getting rid of Russia on the ISS will not be easy. Due to a decision made 20 years ago, the Russian segment is the only one on the station to have the critical thrusters needed to control attitude and maintain orbit.
“Therefore, NASA should prioritize the creation of its own new control module within a year, which will eliminate our dependence on Russian engines,” said Terry Wurts.
He suggests other steps as well. Thus, cooperation on the ISS should be immediately limited to the absolute minimum necessary for the safe operation of the station. Russian crews should be limited to training in Houston. Also, the use of Soyuz spacecraft to send American astronauts should be stopped, and Russian cosmonauts should not fly on SpaceX or Boeing capsules. Crews in space should stop conducting scientific experiments or assisting in the maintenance of another segment, limiting interaction between astronauts and Russian cosmonauts on the ISS to operational necessity.
“These steps may seem draconian. This is certainly not the best way to space partnership. But Putin crossed the line here on Earth, and his cosmonauts crossed the line in space. We cannot continue to work on the ISS as usual while Russia uses it as a propaganda tool to support the murder of thousands of innocent Ukrainians and the destruction of the global economy. To have an idea of the prospects, Putin, in fact, returned Europe to 1941. Would the Allies tolerate a joint project to explore the Arctic with German scientists (even with good intentions) supporting the military position of Germany in 1941?” Terry Wörths clarifies his position and actually compares Putin with Hitler.
In conclusion, the astronaut expresses hope that someday NASA will return to cooperation in post-Putin Russia, but for now the US space agency and other partner countries must make a difficult decision and begin the process of disengagement.
NASA condemned Russian cosmonauts for anti-Ukrainian propaganda on the ISS
Source: The Hill
