House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chairman Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) joined a group of legislators who requested information on Thursday about the future of the U.S. space program without Russian collaboration.
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin recently said Russia might rebuff U.S. requests to use the International Space Station (ISS) after 2020 in response to sanctions placed on Russia.
Smith and other leaders of the committee requested a briefing on current negotiations between the United States and Russia on extending their partnership on the ISS beyond 2020 in a letter to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
“Our international space partnerships, including our partnership with Russia, have historically endured political division,” the legislators said. “But Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin’s statements raise serious concerns about the strength of those partnerships.”
Rogozin suggested that Russia could continue to use the ISS without the United States. Currently, the U.S. space program does not have the domestic capability to transport astronauts to and from the ISS.
“As we move forward, it is important that we fully understand our nation’s independent capabilities with regard to ISS operations,” the lawmakers said. “While this new development is not related to access to the ISS for our astronauts in the next few years, it certainly pertains to the strength of our partnership with Russia. If Mr. Rogozin’s statement proves to be accurate, we will have to take a step back and evaluate the costs and benefits of maintaining ISS beyond 2020 without our Russian partners.”
The legislators requested an inventory of critical components, services and capabilities that Russia would provide to ISS operations beyond 2020.
House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Space Chairman Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) and Subcommittee on Space Vice Chairman Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) also signed the letter to Bolden.