The U.S. and Russia struck a deal on Friday: NASA astronauts will once again fly on Russian rockets, while Russian astronauts will begin traveling to the International Space Station on SpaceX rockets this fall. This agreement does not involve any money-related transactions. NASA and Russian officials say the move will ensure at least one Russian and American astronaut is on the space station. Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin has just been sacked, but should have nothing to do with the new deal. NASA said that the space station requires every space agency to participate in the operation, and no space agency can operate the space station independently. Russia supplies the space station with propellant and thrusters that help change the station’s orbit and offset the effects of atmospheric drag. NASA provides most of the electricity, the gyroscopes that maintain the orientation, and the computer and communications network. NASA wants the International Space Station to operate until 2030, but that requires cooperation from Russia, and it’s unclear whether Russia will agree.
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