FILE PHOTO. © Aleksey Filippov / Sputnik
Newsweek: Russia Cuts Off U.S. Access to ISS, Pledges to Stop Ferrying American Astronauts in 2019
Russia will stop shipping U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) in April 2019, Russian station Kommersant FM 93.6 has reported.
Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov reportedly said the return flight of a Soyuz-MS next year "will finalize the fulfillment of our obligation under a contract with NASA." With new crew-carrying vehicles still under development, the move may leave the U.S. unable to send astronauts to the ISS.
But Sergei Krikalev, director of Russia’s human spaceflight program, told Russian news agency TASS that the country may yet renew the NASA contract. "The next contract is under discussion, but so far there have been no concrete decisions," Krikalev added.
The ISS has been in the news recently after suffering a minor air leak. Astronauts sealed off various compartments in an effort to plug the leak. Officials confirmed it didn’t pose a danger to the current ISS team, which includes Drew Feustel, Ricky Arnold, Serena Auñón-Chancellor, Alexander Gerst, Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev.
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Update #1: Russia to stop ferrying US astronauts to ISS from April 2019 (RT)
Update #2: Russia To Stop Carrying US Astronauts To The Space Station In April (Zero Hedge).
WNU Editor: I am willing to bet that they will find a deal. There is too much money at stake for both sides to end this arrangement.
Hat tip Fred for this link.
