CSA head says business as usual on space station, despite sanctions against Russia

The International Space Station, as seen from Earth. URTHECAST.COM.

The head of the Canadian Space Agency says sanctions taken against Russia for its invasion of Crimea are not affecting operations on the International Space Station.

NASA is continuing co-operation related to the space station but has severed its ties with Russia and forbidden its employees from travelling to the country.

Canadian Space Agency president Walt Natynczyk says Canada continues to work with all its partners involved in the space station, which include the United States, Russia, Europe and Japan.

The space station is fully functioning and we have people living aboard, he told reporters on Tuesday. So, as part of that international partnership, Canada works with all partners.

Natynczyk noted that Canada currently does not have any of its own astronauts on board, but it is still involved daily in operating the Canadarm on the space station and Dextre, a two-armed $200-million robotic mobile servicing system.

Dextre performs tasks including changing batteries and handling experiments outside the space station.

But beyond that, its always on a case-by-case basis, Natynczyk said of Canadas co-operation.

The CSA president made his comments after a luncheon speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.

He would not comment when asked whether the Canadian Space Agency was consulted by NASA before it decided to cut off some links with the Russians, deferring to the Foreign Affairs Department.

Read the original:
CSA head says business as usual on space station, despite sanctions against Russia