The Russian Invasion of Ukraine has resulted in international tensions between Russia and the Western world. Recent tensions have resulted in Russia threatening to crash the International Space Station. However, one Russian cosmonaut is fighting back to keep the peace.
Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov surrenders the ISS
Via Associated Press, Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov has made moves to keep the peace onboard the International Space Station. In a surprising move, the ISS commander issued a new change of command.
At 9:45am EDT yesterday, Shkaplerov handed over the International Space Station to NASA astronaut Thomas Marsburn. This means that Marsburn will be in charge of both the American ISS module as well as the Russian one.
Shkaplerov’s change of command ceremony is descended as a “sign of ongoing cooperation in space amid strained relations on Earth”. However, while the Russian cosmonaut may want between between Russia and America, Russia may still have opposing ideas.
During the ceremony, the Russian cosmonaut briefly mentioned the earthbound tensions. However, most of the event was narrated purely with a speech about family. Shkaplerov reconciled that everyone on the ISS are “space brothers and space sisters” and that peace on the ISS is “hope for the future.”
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Amid Russia’s threats
The International Space Station is one of the greatest scientific and political feats of all time. Since 1998, the ISS has been a sign of collaboration between two countries that were previously at each other’s throats.
Now, as Russia threatens an unplanned crash of the International Space Station, that peace is almost at an end. However, the bravery of Anton Shkaplerov shows that, just as usual, the political wishes of a country do not reflect its citizens.
However, peace aboard the International Space Station is destined to end. In less than a decade, the ISS will be retired. NASA will be performing a controlled crash on the iconic space vessel which will see the outdated craft land in the ocean.
Unfortunately, there are no plans to replace the ISS. Instead, commercial space stations will become the norm. As space hotels and space movie studios start construction, NASA doesn't see the point in a new ISS.
No longer will humanity be united in search of knowledge, and that's a sad reality.