NASA hoped for continued effective cooperation with Russia on the ISS
The American company SpaceX has destroyed the monopoly of Roscosmos on the delivery of people to the International Space Station (ISS), however, the head of NASA Bill Nelson hopes to continue effective cooperation on the relevant project with Russia, writes The Washington Post.
According to Brian Weeden, director of program planning at the Secure World Foundation analytical organization, "the United States no longer needs Russia to get to the ISS, and SpaceX is eating up, if not destroying, the market for Russian commercial manned launches." "Thus, Russia feels that SpaceX poses a serious threat to it," the expert said.
Viden noted that cooperation between the United States and Russia to create a project similar to the ISS would not be possible at present.
The Washington Post asked the opinion of the head of Nelson about the prospects for continued cooperation on the ISS with Russia. "For more than 20 years, NASA astronauts and Roscosmos cosmonauts have been living and working together on the International Space Station — this is a success story that has brought countless discoveries and allowed us to conduct research that is impossible on Earth. Such is the power of space, it unites countries for the benefit of humanity, NASA is determined to continue our very effective partnership on the ISS," RIA Novosti quotes the head of the agency.
In December, Nelson announced that his trip to Moscow would take place as soon as it became safe to travel.
