We’re not entirely sure what Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, is threatening the United States with, but he certainly seems to be hinting at something. A bizarre new video released by state-controlled media outlet RIA Novosti showed an artist rendering of the Russian portion of the International Space Station leaving the Space Station after Russian cosmonauts said goodbye.
Space news blog NASA Watch tweeted the video with key context, saying “@Rogozin is clearly threatening the ISS program.”
Russian gov’t-controlled RIA Novosti @rianru posted a video on Telegram made by @Roscosmos where cosmonauts say goodbye to Mark Vande Hei on #ISS, depart, and then the Russian segment detaches from the rest of ISS . @Rogozin is clearly threatening the ISP program. #NASA #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/fj2coK1xR1
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) March 5, 2022
With this video, whether Rogozin is launching the ISS into the atmosphere or just raising the Russian part and flying solo. Threatened is not clear.
Despite the war, NASA is known to try to keep the relationship stable. The agency issued a statement in February after Russia’s threats. “NASA continues to work with all our international partners, including State Space Company Roscosmos, for the continued safe operations of the International Space Station,” the statement said.
Alan Boyle, head of space news outlet Cosmic Log, said under a NASA Watch tweet, “I expect Twitter to shut down Russian government accounts so I don’t have to put up with @Rogozin (and other bots) trolling.”