NASA Interim Chief Seeks Common Ground with Russia on Space Cooperation Amid Tensions

NASA’s interim head, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, announced plans to pursue dialogue with Russia on space collaboration despite ongoing tensions over Ukraine. Duffy is set to meet Russian space agency Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov later this week, marking the first in-person meeting between the agencies’ leaders since 2018.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Duffy acknowledged deep disagreements with Moscow but emphasized the enduring U.S.-Russia partnership on the International Space Station (ISS). “Through hard times, we don’t throw those relationships away,” he said, noting the ISS remains one of the last active joint projects between the two nations since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine strained broader relations.

Duffy, appointed by President Donald Trump earlier this month, described his NASA role as temporary but stressed the importance of maintaining alliances as humanity advances space exploration. His upcoming agenda includes discussions on the continuation of cross-flight missions, extending the ISS’s operational life, and coordinating safe deorbiting and controlled ocean disposal plans for the station, according to Russian state media outlet TASS.

The talks coincide with Duffy’s visit to Cape Canaveral, Florida, where he will attend the scheduled launch of SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission. The meeting represents a rare diplomatic channel between Washington and Moscow, underscoring the strategic value of space cooperation even amid geopolitical conflict.

The last high-level NASA-Roscosmos meeting occurred in 2018, when former Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin met then-NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. This week’s talks could signal cautious efforts to preserve critical joint space initiatives while broader political disputes remain unresolved.