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Russia Threatens To Leave US Astronaut And Abandon Space Station
Nation And Space ^ | 3-12-2022

Posted on 03/12/2022 6:03:31 AM PST by blam

Two decades of space cooperation between the U.S. and Russia could be coming to an end after the U.S. and its allies imposed crippling sanctions on the country. The Russian government announced Friday that it might abandon a U.S. astronaut set to return to Earth.

Fox News reports that the Russian Space Agency head, Dmitry Rogozin, has “threatened to leave” U.S. astronaut Mark Vande Hei aboard the International Space Station (ISS), who is scheduled to return to Earth on a Russian spacecraft by the end of the month.

JUST IN: Russia threatens to abandon ‘American Astronaut’ in spacepic.twitter.com/ybTrf8TR8e

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) March 11, 2022

“Rogozin posted a threatening video on social media casting doubt over the astronaut’s safety. He also warned that without the help from Russia to move the ISS away from space junk, the station would crash into the U.S.,” reports the Express.

Relations in space are souring as the U.S. and its Western allies hammer Russia’s economy with devastating sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. This angered Moscow so much that they threatened to deorbit the ISS last month.

Former U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly recently told ABC News that Russia’s threat to the safety of Americans on ISS is “not really based on reality.”

“We do have the ability to control the orbit of the space station independent of the Russian space agency, so I don’t really see that happening,” Kelly said.

Even if the Russians were to abandon the U.S. astronaut and ISS altogether, Elon Musk has suggested his space company SpaceX could keep the ISS from deorbiting and even shuttle astronauts and cargo to and from Earth.

Vande Hei holds the record for longest space flight (at 355 days). It remains to be seen in three weeks if the Russians will allow him to board the spacecraft bound for Kazakhstan with two Russian cosmonauts. If not, maybe Musk can send a rocket with a Dragon capsule to the ISS.

Things are so bad between the U.S. and Russia that Rogozin ordered flags of the U.S. and its allies to be removed off Russian rockets.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: astronaut; iss; russia; space
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To: blam

41 posted on 03/12/2022 7:30:05 AM PST by seowulf (Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos...Will Durant)
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To: cgbg
Your enemy is not Putin

Speak for yourself. That entire country needs to go. IMO we fought the wrong war in the mid 90s.

it is the Democratic Party.

Agree there

42 posted on 03/12/2022 7:30:06 AM PST by Poison Pill
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To: blam

Then attack their army in Ukraine and end this bs.


43 posted on 03/12/2022 7:38:18 AM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: blam

Why does an article say “things are so bad between Russia and the US...”

As if it’s equal.

When Russia is an international criminal and mass murderer.


44 posted on 03/12/2022 7:41:01 AM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Poison Pill

Tell that Putin shill to go to hell.

No country ever threatens astronauts on a peaceful mission.

Destroy that damn Russian army and set them back 20 years.

Isn’t it obvious Biden is the Russian poodle.


45 posted on 03/12/2022 7:43:48 AM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: cgbg

They are both my enemies. Biden and Putin.


46 posted on 03/12/2022 7:45:40 AM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Reno89519

Can anyone imagine what Trump would threaten Putin with if they jeopardize our astronaut?


47 posted on 03/12/2022 7:47:05 AM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Williams

Trump did not issue threats—he negotiated win win scenarios.

That is exactly what Democrats refuse to do.

In the real world if you treat the other side with respect and integrity—most of the time you will get what you give.

That is why threatening, finger pointing and name calling is always a losing tactic.


48 posted on 03/12/2022 7:50:14 AM PST by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: Williams

You know, after everything we went through in the Cold War, I thought the US was pretty damn magnanimous in allowing Russia a “do over” after the the collapse of the Soviet Union. And what do we get from Russia 2.0? They have shown their true colors. No reason to make the same mistake twice.


49 posted on 03/12/2022 7:50:49 AM PST by Poison Pill
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To: rey

“... there’s a chance the cosmonauts bring him back.”

If Musk makes the pickup, I wonder how many Roosians Cosmos would hitch a ride and seek asylum here?


50 posted on 03/12/2022 7:51:46 AM PST by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
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To: blam

That’d be the kiss of death to the Russian space program.

They’d say goodbye to all the western funding for their space activities. Rocket motors are already gone.


51 posted on 03/12/2022 7:52:23 AM PST by 5by5 (ad)
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To: DownInFlames
"They will lose access to all rocket technology and cooperation of the program members FOREVER."

We've been using their rockets to get to/from the space station because we didn't have any that could do it.

Fortunately we have a brand new rocket. I think it will be the largest in the world...15% more thrust than the Saturn-5.

NASA's Brand New SLS Rocket Ready For March 18 Roll Out On Launch Pad; Watch Live Here


52 posted on 03/12/2022 7:53:52 AM PST by blam
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To: blam
It won't happen. Being the International Space Station the entire World would turn against Russia. If push comes to shove, no, Putin won't fire nukes. He may be an egocentric imperialistic ex-KGB thug, but he understands Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). With all the Russian bluster, they also won't use nukes on the Ukraine. The man is bad, but he's not stupid.

There is a reason why the Soviet subs, surface warships, and aircraft never fired on me in 11 years Navy during the Cold War. They knew there was no winning in a nuclear exchange. Putin knows this also.

Also, aside from Obambi's stupid comment about America could absorbed 2 nuke strikes before us launching, and Biteme's handlers being commie pussies, the Pentagon would obliterate Russia even though they outnumber our warheads. Read what you will; think what you will; give me crap as you will, there will be no nuke war.

53 posted on 03/12/2022 7:59:22 AM PST by A Navy Vet (USA Birth Certificate - 1787. Death Certificate - 2021. )
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To: DownInFlames

Don’t care...


54 posted on 03/12/2022 7:59:46 AM PST by rrrod (6)
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To: rey

“Add to that, his craft has never flown to that orbit or docked with anything let alone something occupied with people.”

Uh...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZCzWVBmTxo&t=8s


55 posted on 03/12/2022 8:00:58 AM PST by Wonder Warthog (Not Responding to Seagull Snark)
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To: blam

Is the astronaut a tranny?


56 posted on 03/12/2022 8:01:27 AM PST by Wilderness Conservative (Nature is the ultimate conservative)
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To: Neverlift

There is no urgent reason astronaut Vande Hei has to get in the Russian craft.


57 posted on 03/12/2022 8:01:42 AM PST by Paul R. (You know your pullets are dumb if they don't recognize a half Whopper as food!)
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To: blam

I’d toss the commie bastards out an airlock faster than you can say Vodka Gimlet.


58 posted on 03/12/2022 8:02:08 AM PST by Delta 21 (It started as a virus, and mutated into an IQ test.)
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To: HereInTheHeartland

That assumes existence of a conscience...


59 posted on 03/12/2022 8:04:40 AM PST by Paul R. (You know your pullets are dumb if they don't recognize a half Whopper as food!)
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To: blam

SPACE X ........

A Crew Dragon could extract him

Also an Unmanned Dragon Supply ship could use its thrusters to
raise the orbit to keep it from descending


60 posted on 03/12/2022 8:13:58 AM PST by njslim
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