---
title: "NASA Head: Things Are Fine on ISS Despite Russian “Slaughter”"
description: "The military tensions between the US and Russia have not harmed the countries' relationship aboard the ISS — at least, that's what NASA's saying."
date: "2022-04-20"
modified: "2022-04-20"
authors:
  - name: "Noor Al-Sibai"
    job_title: "Senior Staff Writer"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-cosmonauts-relationship-ukraine"
categories:
  - "International Space Station"
  - "NASA"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "international space station"
  - "NASA"
  - "Russia"
  - "the digest"
  - "ukraine"
---

# NASA Head: Things Are Fine on ISS Despite Russian “Slaughter”

![The military tensions between the US and Russia have not harmed the countries' relationship aboard the ISS — at least, that's what NASA's saying.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/nasa-cosmonauts-relationship-ukraine.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA\</em\>*

## You Better Work

The military tensions between the US and Russia amid the latter's invasion of Ukraine on Earth have not harmed the countries' relationship aboard the International Space Station — according to [NASA's ](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-chill-space-station-war>)[incessant messaging](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-chill-space-station-war>), at least.

During an [event unveiling](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-astrobotic-peregrine-lunar-lander>) the new Peregrine Lunar Lander, [NASA administrator Bill Nelson reiterated](<https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1516833196763230214>) to the press that the "working relationship" between the US astronauts and Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS hasn't changed. In a striking choice of words, though, he said that pleasant relationship is enduring despite "all the slaughter we’re seeing daily" as Russia continues its military incursion into Ukraine.

Since before Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February, questions about the tenuous state of US-Russian space cooperation have abounded. Yet even after the [European Space Agency indefinitely delayed its ExoMars mission](<https://scitechdaily.com/european-space-agency-suspends-cooperation-with-russia-on-exomars-mission-over-ukraine-invasion/>) to explore the Red Planet due to Russia's role, however, the US has maintained its space diplomacy about the orbital outpost.

## Beef Supply

In spite of Nelson's occasional repudiation of Russia — ranging from the time last November when he called the country's anti-satellite tests "[irresponsible and destabilizing](<https://www.space.com/nasa-chief-condemns-russian-anti-satellite-test>)" to his minor [beef last month with Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin](<https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-bill-nelson-russia-space-dmitry-rogozin-chief-roscosmos-2022-3>) — the NASA administrator and former senator has continued to [preach cooperation in public](<https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1512432814674829318>).

His comments about Russian "slaughter" in Ukraine, however, appear to be the first time he's outright condemned the country's invasion of its neighbor.

It's hard to say what will happen from here as Russia continues the onslaught — but given that American astronauts are stuck up on the ISS with their Russian counterparts, it could get mighty awkward.

**More on the US, Russia, and space:** [*NASA Astronaut Says He Candidly Discussed Ukraine Invasion With Cosmonauts*](<https://futurism.com/nasa-astronaut-ukraine-invasion-cosmonauts>)

**More on NASA:** [*Why Hasn’t NASA Hired More Black and Brown Astronauts?*](<https://futurism.com/nasa-astronaut-ukraine-invasion-cosmonauts>)

## Author
At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/noorfromfuturism.bsky.social>)