NASA works to maintain Russian cooperation in space while eyeing ‘operational flexibility’

NASA is continuing to operate the International Space Station (ISS) as usual alongside Russia and the agency’s other partners, but is weighing its options for the future amid Russia’s ongoing invasion in Ukraine, the agency’s top space operations official said Monday (Feb. 28).

“We understand this the global situation where it is, but as a joint team, these teams are operating together,” NASA’s associate administrator for space operations Kathy Lueders said of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos in a call with reporters on Monday.  “That said we always look for how do we get more operational flexibility [with] our cargo providers, and are looking at how do we add different capabilities.”