International cooperation between Russia and USA regarding space exploration. Where are we headed?

Abstract

This article is a reflection on the history and modern issues of the international cooperation in space between the United States and Russia. There are several key historic moments when rather new and extremely volatile relationship have either strengthened or rapidly declined. After the fall of the Soviet Union, despite political differences, the US and Russia were able to find common ground, focus scientific and technological efforts together, and spur a new generation of cooperation in space by building the International Space Station. This unprecedented international project is a great example of the potential of mutual cooperation between two former political foes. However, with the current plan to decommission the ISS within the next five years, we are again at a pivotal time in history to either further build this cooperative effort or go our separate ways. The leading factors to determine the future of Russian-American cooperation in space are current opposing strategic military objectives from both countries and new commercial business opportunities from private capital funding, specifically within the space industry. The article analyzes the difficulty of cooperating in space when both American and Russian national military interests are postured directly against each other. Private space businesses are in full swing, especially in America, and new space-related companies are expanding and growing to the point where they are on track to not only influence, but actually lead the national efforts in future strategic space projects. Both of these factors strongly indicate that the platform on which the cooperation in space could grow is indeed vanishing. Nevertheless, diplomatic channels have been and will always be a way to come together on policy issues for the United States and Russia, and if properly executed, can help keep our countries off the path to war from space.