NASA: In 2017, Our Astronauts Will Launch From America, Not Russia

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Expedition 39 crew, made up of both Russian and American astronauts, field questions from reporters in March.

Image: NASA

By Amanda Wills2014-04-03 01:30:09 UTC

NASA says it will launch humans to space from American soil again by 2017. The news comes on the heels of NASA's announcement that it has cut all contact with Russia's space agency due to its escalating tension with Ukraine.

For now, the two agencies will continue to work together on the International Space Station, where astronauts from both countries are currently living. Since the U.S. shuttered the shuttle program in 2011, NASA has been fully dependent on Russia when it comes to getting astronauts into orbit.

"NASA is laser focused on a plan to return human spaceflight launches to American soil, and end our reliance on Russia to get into space," said spokesperson Allard Beutel via email.

"We’re now looking at launching from U.S. soil in 2017," Beutel said. "The choice here is between fully funding the plan to bring space launches back to America or continuing to send millions of dollars to the Russians. It’s that simple."

A new crew, which includes two Russian cosmonauts and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, launched to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz rocket on March 25.

From the left, Expedition 39 Flight Engineer Steve Swanson of NASA, Soyuz commander Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian Federal Space Agency, (Roscosmos), and Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos. The astronauts left for the ISS on March 25.

The $150 billion ISS has been a cornerstone of peace between Russia and the U.S., and has been able to operate above politics — a similar sentiment we've heard before from several astronauts.

However, the U.S. and Russia have never worked together in space during a war involving the two nations.

This suspension with Russia's space agency only includes contact for now, but if the breakup eventually spills over into the ISS, it could be detrimental to America's space program until it has a shuttle program up and running again.

Topics: NASA, Politics, russia, Space, U.S., US & World, World