Ukraine attack won't hinder Russia with European Space Agency
Space agency under fire as White House vows sanctions would 'degrade' Russia's aerospace industry
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The director of the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Twitter Friday that while the agency has been monitoring the "evolving situation" in Ukraine, its partnerships with Russia would continue as planned.
"Notwithstanding the current conflict, civil space cooperation remains a bridge," agency chief Josef Aschbacher wrote. "ESA continues to work on all of its programmes, including on ISS [and] ExoMars launch campaign, in order to honour commitments with member states [and] partners. We continue to monitor the evolving situation."
RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES
Five hours later, following calls from Twitter users for the agency to take action, including shifting plans to launch its Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover on a Russian rocket this September – Aschbacher tweeted again that he was "sad [and] worried as the aggression continues to worsen in #Ukraine."
"With @ESA Member States, we will take any decisions needed. But for now, support for our missions [and] colleagues continues until further notice," Aschbacher wrote.
His words echo a Friday statement from the agency on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that ESA has been monitoring the "full-scale military confrontation" unfolding in the country and "maintaining regular contact with" the ESA's member states, industry and international partners "in order to assess the possible consequences for ESA’s ongoing activities and, above all, for the workforce involved in its critical operations."
Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) Josef Aschbacher gestures during an interview with Reuters in Berlin, Germany, June 24, 2021. (REUTERS/Christian Mang)
NASA SAYS US-RUSSIA 'CIVIL SPACE COOPERATION' TO CONTINUE ABOARD INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
"One of the strengths that space cooperation has demonstrated in the past is the resilience of the partners to overcome geopolitical crises and maintain, as is the case onboard the International Space Station, a place of joint research for peaceful purposes for the benefit of all. ESA is committed to continuing the work of all its programme activities, including the ongoing ExoMars launch campaign, to ensure their successful implementation, wherever possible," the ESA said.
The U.K. Space Agency told Space.com on Friday it is "right for questions to be raised about future space cooperation with Russia."
According to the publication, the U.K. is one of the biggest contributors to the budget of ESA.
NASA has also said it will continue to work with Russia's Roscosmos space agency aboard the International Space Station (ISS), despite new sanctions against the country.
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"NASA continues working with all our international partners, including the State Space Corporation Roscosmos, for the ongoing safe operations of the International Space Station," a spokesperson for the agency told FOX Business on Friday. "The new export control measures will continue to allow U.S.-Russia civil space cooperation. No changes are planned to the agency’s support for ongoing in-orbit and ground station operations."
The agency's statement comes after President Biden warned Thursday that sanctions would "degrade" Russia's aerospace industry, including its space program.
On Thursday, Roscomos Director General Dmitry Rogozin slammed the sanctions on Twitter and questioned whether the United States is trying to "destroy cooperation" aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The International Space Station from inside a window aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour. (NASA via AP, file / AP Newsroom)
A spokesperson for the Roscosmos press service previously told FOX Business that the agency "continues fulfilling its international obligations to ensure ISS operation."
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The ISS is an international collaboration among five space agencies from 15 countries, including the U.S., Russia, Japan, Canada and several European countries. It is home to four NASA astronauts, two Russian cosmonauts and one European astronaut.
The Biden administration had previously made a commitment to extend ISS operations through 2030.
The National Space Council told The Associated Press last week that fears of a Russian invasion should not have a significant impact on the ISS or U.S.-Russia cooperation in space.
FOX Business' Lucas Manfredi and The Associated Press contributed to this report.