What in hell? AFAIR even in the middle of the Cold War, NASA was freely collaborating with Russian scientists. So why such decision, why this is one of the first moves by US government in the topic of Ukraine and, in short, what the fuck, America?
I suspect the current political management of the USA is caught with their pants down and feel they need to quickly do something that would not be too hard to do. Statesmanship and political responsibility is not their forte, unfortunately.
NASA being a governmental organization (not part of the government, but financed and controlled by it) has to follow. I do not think the scientists and engineers would make this choice, but I do not think they had a choice.
Umm... there was some collaboration. But characterizing it as "free" seems rather optimistic.
Even the present reduced degree of collaboration represents, I think, a much closer tie to between the two countries space programs than ever existed during the cold war.
It's a P.R. move. As mentioned earlier, this doesn't do anything to contracts between US companies and Russian companies. I expect the NASA activity to be "outsourced" to a US company, and with the rearrangments in place business can continue as usual.
The US administration desperately wants to appear strong, capable, and relevant, and to appear to be doing something. This is "doing something" at least.
So why such decision, why this is one of the first moves by US government in the topic of Ukraine
Its not really "one of the first moves"; I guessed you missed the US: not sending a presidential delegation to the Paralympics, initiating two rounds of sanctions by executive order, cancelling a broad array of contacts through NATO (as well as a number of other acts through NATO), participating in reverting the G8 back to the G7, participating in the decision at OECD to stop Russia's accession process there, participating in the UNGA vote declaring Russia's actions illegal, etc.
You are wrong. Both NASA and the russian space program were a part of the military complex. Since the two countries were at war with each other (Cold War) it would be rather odd for their militaries to be 'freely collaborating'.
I'm sorry but I live only ~300km from Ukraine, and after reading this piece of news I seriously started considering stacking up on meat cans and bottled water. It's hard not to get nervous.
Because like most things politicians and presidents do, it doesn't mean anything. "Contracts suspended except when they're not" is not exactly a brave, bold stance.
Comments
What in hell? AFAIR even in the middle of the Cold War, NASA was freely collaborating with Russian scientists. So why such decision, why this is one of the first moves by US government in the topic of Ukraine and, in short, what the fuck, America?
I suspect the current political management of the USA is caught with their pants down and feel they need to quickly do something that would not be too hard to do. Statesmanship and political responsibility is not their forte, unfortunately.
NASA being a governmental organization (not part of the government, but financed and controlled by it) has to follow. I do not think the scientists and engineers would make this choice, but I do not think they had a choice.
Umm... there was some collaboration. But characterizing it as "free" seems rather optimistic. Even the present reduced degree of collaboration represents, I think, a much closer tie to between the two countries space programs than ever existed during the cold war.
http://www.nasa.gov/50th/50th_magazine/coldWarCoOp.html
It's a P.R. move. As mentioned earlier, this doesn't do anything to contracts between US companies and Russian companies. I expect the NASA activity to be "outsourced" to a US company, and with the rearrangments in place business can continue as usual.
The US administration desperately wants to appear strong, capable, and relevant, and to appear to be doing something. This is "doing something" at least.
Its not really "one of the first moves"; I guessed you missed the US: not sending a presidential delegation to the Paralympics, initiating two rounds of sanctions by executive order, cancelling a broad array of contacts through NATO (as well as a number of other acts through NATO), participating in reverting the G8 back to the G7, participating in the decision at OECD to stop Russia's accession process there, participating in the UNGA vote declaring Russia's actions illegal, etc.
You are wrong. Both NASA and the russian space program were a part of the military complex. Since the two countries were at war with each other (Cold War) it would be rather odd for their militaries to be 'freely collaborating'.
They were arch enemies.
Any chance of you expressing yourself without the seemingly obligatory 'fuck'?
I'm sorry but I live only ~300km from Ukraine, and after reading this piece of news I seriously started considering stacking up on meat cans and bottled water. It's hard not to get nervous.
Because like most things politicians and presidents do, it doesn't mean anything. "Contracts suspended except when they're not" is not exactly a brave, bold stance.