space travel
NASA astronaut: Talked to cosmonauts about Ukraine war
Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov (l) and Pjotr Dubrov (r) prepare for a spacewalk with the support of NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei (back). Photo: Kayla Barron/NASA/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The Ukraine war was also an issue in space – reports American astronaut Vande Hei. However, he does not reveal any details about the talks with his Russian colleagues.
The war in Ukraine was also discussed on the International Space Station, according to US astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who has just returned from there.
“For me personally, it was not an issue that I avoided with my crew colleagues,” said Vande Hei at a press conference by the US space agency Nasa. “There weren’t any long discussions, but I asked them how they were feeling and sometimes I asked detailed questions.” He himself found the news of the war “heartbreaking”.
Cooperation “important for a peaceful future”
But the focus has always been on working together. “My Russian crewmates were, are and will remain very close friends of mine. We have supported each other through it all and I have never had any doubts about my ability to continue working with them. Very good professionals, technically competent and wonderful people. I will always be happy to be on the space station with them.” Cooperation between Russia and the USA on the ISS is “very important for a peaceful future”.
Vande Hei returned to Earth last week in a Russian spacecraft after 355 days on board the ISS, together with cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrow. “It’s wonderful to be back,” said Vande Hei. “There are a few niggles and pains that I didn’t have before, but I get a lot of help to get better.” The US astronauts Thomas Marshburn, Raja Chari and Kayla Barron, the German astronaut Matthias Maurer and the three cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveyev and Sergey Korsakov remained on the ISS.
Yellow overalls caused a sensation
The three cosmonauts arrived at the ISS in March wearing yellow overalls with blue patches, which many observers were reminded of the colors of the Ukrainian flag. But the colors are those of the university that all three cosmonauts attended, said Vande Hei. The Russian space agency Roskosmos had previously said so. “I think the people who wore them had no idea that it would be perceived as related to Ukraine,” said Vande Hei. “You were surprised by it.”