NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on Thursday that he has full confidence Russia will extend its cooperation with the United States on the International Space Station (ISS) based on the continuing close cooperation and warm personal relations between crews from both countries and their control teams back on earth.

"I see the friendliness between the two crews. I have that confidence that Russia will extend (its) cooperation on the International Space Station," Nelson said during a press briefing. "I see the professional relationship between the astronauts and the cosmonauts ... and the two mission controls. I see that continuing."

Nelson explained he based his confidence on the long and unbroken record of cooperation, partnership and friendship between Soviet and Russian cosmonauts and US astronauts in space for almost half a century.

"I have confidence because I look at the history. In the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission those crews became fast friends forever. I see the professional relationship between the astronauts and the cosmonauts (continuing) today. I saw (US astronaut) Mark Vande Hei return with his two Russian crew mates from the ISS. The proof is the pudding," he said.

Nelson also recalled that when veteran Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, commander of the Russian crew on the joint Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975 who died in 2019 at the age of 85, his US counterpart and then lifelong friend astronaut Thomas Stafford was one of the pall bearers at his funeral.

Source: RIA Novosti

Related Links
Station at NASA
Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Safe ISS operation should remain priority, Space Foundation says
Washington DC (Sputnik) Apr 19, 2022
All countries participating in the International Space Station (ISS) project should focus on maintaining its safety and continued work, and keep in mind the long history of cooperation, as Russia is reviewing the future of its participation after sanctions, Space Foundation CEO Tom Zelibor told Sputnik. In March, Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin said the Russian space agency will soon inform the government of how it plans to terminate cooperation on the ISS and is analyzing options of whe ... read more