Russia says No to ISS launches

[Regulus (Trevor)]

Didn't actually occur to me that the sanctions being imposed on wealthy Russian businessmen over the Ukraine mess would bounce back on the USofA this way.
They r putting pressure on by using Rocket Motors and the extension of the ISS program.

http://www.universetoday.com/111820/...ampaign=buffer

[astroron (Ron)]

I am afraid the USA and it's congress have only themselves to blame.they procastinated so long over their space hard ware for so long,cancelling this program and that program,now they have nothing left to replace old rockets and been using Russian stuff,now all of a sudden they have been bitten on the bum because of it.
Mind you they have spent a couple of Trillion Dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the meantime.
Wonderfull use of taxpayers dollars.
Cheers

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

It is ridiculous that a country like the US has to rely on importing rocket engine technology. As for the current situation maybe they can source from the european agencies.

[taminga16 (Greg)]

Surely the semi legitimized invasion of Ukraine is far more important than the wealth protection of a handful Russian millionaires.
The only hand that Putin has in the impending disaster one to catch cash!
The people of Crimea are foolish to think of succession gain, the economic impact that it will have is untold, no more lease fees for ports, a removal of trade agreements, ie; everything re Navy supplies etc will now come from the 'Mother land' and so it goes on, but the one thing that is lost is the freedom of speech that afforded them the referendum to vote away that very thing.

I feel nothing but a sadness for them.
Greg.

[astroron (Ron)]

Greg, The Russian people are so used to being subjugated
They were under the Tzar's and the Soviet Union,and now under the Quasi democracy that is the present state.
People there still long for the old Soviet Union, and outside the main Cities life is not much different to what it was like under Stalin and the Tzars.
The Crimean and those Etnic Russian in Ukraine have had no secrets in wanting to belong to Russia.
Besides going to war, there is little the west can do but sanctions.
That the Europeans put nearly all their energy needs into one basket, getting most of it from Russia was a stupid thing to do.
The have been warned against it for years but continued down that path.
Just like the USA with their rockets,so the Europeans with their energy needs.
Cheers

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

lulz Russia.

Enter SpaceX

[Renato1 (Renato)]

The US had to do something as they were signatories to the treaty of Budapest in the early 90s where, in exchange for the Ukraine giving up the world's third largest nuclear arsenal the signatories - the USA, UK and Russia - guaranteed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Things get darn difficult when one of the signatories then invades the country it was guaranteeing to protect. What do the other two guarantors do?

Regards,
Renato

[Marios (Marios)]

Before we Russia bash lets not forget that Western backed assets over threw Ukrainian elected goverment for being pro Russian. Now we expect Russia to give up there natural gas pipelines to Europe and naval bases in the Med?

I'm no fan of Putin or his government but when we push them in a corner and threaten to encircle them with Nato forces on there boarders. Construct so called missile shields in Europe to undermine there only remaining deterrent which is there nuclear forces. All in violations of the Nuclear disarmament treaty's the west has signed. We can only push Russia closer to a first strike policy.

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by Marios

Before we Russia bash lets not forget that Western backed assets over threw Ukrainian elected goverment for being pro Russian. Now we expect Russia to give up there natural gas pipelines to Europe and naval bases in the Med?

I'm no fan of Putin or his government but when we push them in a corner and threaten to encircle them with Nato forces on there boarders. Construct so called missile shields in Europe to undermine there only remaining deterrent which is there nuclear forces. All in violations of the Nuclear disarmament treaty's the west has signed. We can only push Russia closer to a first strike policy.

Very good points indeed. Even during the cold war, I saw Russians as "just like us". They want territorial security and I cant blame them for that. Their "neighbours" have invaded and slaughtered Russians by the million for centuries; that's why they set up the Eastern European block post WW11 in the first place. You also have to remember, when Russia pulled out of those states, NATO charged straight in.... peaceful invasion!

I also know a Russian quite well and when I asked her about Putin she made a very apt point. You need a strong man to govern 10 time zones... The West is no better than Russia on any level and I don't blame them for facing down Europe and the Yanks one little bit.

[Marios (Marios)]

I just think we havent learned anything from the cold war as long as we have this us and them mentality we are doomed to repeat history.

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by Marios

I just think we havent learned anything from the cold war as long as we have this us and them mentality we are doomed to repeat history.

Well said Marios