US Astronaut To Return From Space Station On Russian Spacecraft, NASA Confirms

NASA has revealed that a US astronaut is still set to return from space onboard a Russian aircraft, despite the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Tensions have been brewing between Russia and the West since President Vladimir Putin first sent troops across the border into Ukraine on February 24.

However, NASA officials have announced that American astronaut and retired US Army colonel Mark Vande Hei will still return to earth as scheduled on March 30 via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

The manager of NASA's International Space Station (ISS), Joel Montalbano, has reassured that the situation may be escalating back down on earth, but that in space relations remain calm, Reuters reports.

In a press conference on Monday, March 14, Montalbano stated: 'We both need each other to operate the International Space Station. [...] When you're in space, there's no borders. You don't see country lines or state lines.

Col Mark Vande Hei (NASA)

'The teams continue to work together. Are they aware of what's going on on Earth? Absolutely. But the teams are professional. They've trained to do a job, and they're going to do that job.'

Col Vande Hei will also be joined by two Russian cosmonauts who are located at the ISS, Russian officials confirmed, as per The Independent.

The orbital research outpost currently has four astronauts from the US, two from Russia, and one Germany from the European Space Agency.

The announcement seemingly shuts down hints made over social media by Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency.

Rogozin appeared to suggest that Col Vande Hei may be abandoned and left stranded in space by Russia.

Mark Vande Hei on the International Space Station (Alamy)

Since US President Joe Biden unveiled a list of 'severe sanctions' against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has chosen to pull out of many of the space operations which it was conducting alongside the West.

Two US aerospace companies were previously utilising rocket engines manufactured by Russia, however after Biden announced the sanctions, Moscow halted supplies.

Germany and Russia's collaborative ISS research was also stopped.

Cooperation between Roscosmos and European launch operations at the European Spaceport in French Guiana has also been ceased.

Col Vande Hei has spent a consecutive 355 days in space, marking a new record for the US.

He will land in Kazakhstan upon his return.

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