Russian Space Agency Plans China Shift Amid Sanctions Fears

[Purveyor]

Russia's space agency chief said that Russia did not need Western space technology, and pledged further cooperation with China amid concerns that additional U.S. sanctions could cripple the space industry and collaborative projects like the International Space Station, or ISS.

"We can independently perform any task," even if it means replacing Western components, said Oleg Ostapenko, head of the Federal Space Agency, or Roscosmos, in an interview with Vedomosti on Wednesday.

He said that Russia was still willing to continue its involvement in joint ventures, technology transfer and production, but only if such projects are "mutually beneficial" and not used as leverage, likely referring to the ongoing spat between Washington and Moscow over Russia's actions in Ukraine.

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Russia is actively working with China, the newest player in the space industry, and will continue working with them on a number of programs, particularly in the field of deep space exploration, he added.

While Russia weighs up a recent NASA proposal to stretch the lifespan of the ISS to at least 2024, China, which has been left out of the ISS program, is working on deploying its first large, multi-module space station, and is also pursuing a manned moon program.

more...

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russian-space-agency-plans-china-shift-amid-sanctions-fears/498879.html

[bananas]

1. Europe is shifting to China, too.

I think they already have astronauts training to fly on Chinese spacecraft.