Roscosmos Director Rogozin Stresses Keeping U.S.-Russia Space Programs United

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Roscosmos Director Rogozin Stresses Keeping U.S.-Russia Space Programs United

Dec. 12, 2018 (EIRNS)—Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin is quoted in today’s New York Times from an interview which is not identified as to time or place. But Rogozin’s comments are important and express the view of not only Russian leaders, but also the nation, itself.

The Russian- and American-piloted space programs should remain merged, Rogozin said, not be split up. His concern stems from the U.S. plan to end funding for the International Space Station (ISS), leaving it to the private sector to do something in low Earth orbit. Without the ISS, Russia will have no manned program with NASA, or at all, in low Earth orbit.

The U.S. plan for manned missions is the lunar Gateway project. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has invited Rogozin to the U.S. early next year, and undoubtedly their discussions will include the possibility of Russian participation in the Gateway. Rogozin has said Russia wants to carry out lunar exploration with NASA. And echoing the view of Bridenstine and every astronaut and cosmonaut, Rogozin said, “Politics ends where the opinion of a serious scientist begins.”

However, Soviet/Russian-U.S. joint manned missions—Apollo-Soyuz, Shuttle-Mir, and the ISS—were not merely cooperation, but partnerships of at least near-equals. Russia is unlikely to “join” another country’s project as a junior partner.

Rogozin said,

“China is offering many initiatives for cooperation, is asking us to help them develop, though they have already achieved a good level of development. They are suggesting creating a joint station.”

A joint station. So as much as Russia would rather continue its historic, equal partnership with NASA, the Chinese station, expected in 2022, may be the best option in the future.