NASA severs almost all ties with Russia's space program, citing Crimea

NASA severs almost all ties with Russia&#039;s space program, citing Crimea

(Image credit: NASA via Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

Actions speak louder than words: Just a week after NASA said that U.S.-Russian space relations were good despite the turmoil in Crimea and Ukraine, America's space agency announced Wednesday evening that it is suspending most of its collaborations with Russia — because of "Russia's ongoing violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The notable exception is the International Space Station; NASA currently relies on Russian rockets to transport U.S. astronauts to the ISS and back.

NASA employees are not allowed to travel to Russia until further notice, or email or hold teleconferences with their Russian counterparts. Space policy experts tell The Associated Press that they aren't surprised by the move, as similar memos were sent to other federal agencies.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.