MINNEAPOLIS — As U.S.-imposed sanctions continue to cripple the Russian economy, the tension from those sanctions is now spilling over into the International Space Station.
In a video posted to social media by the head of the Russian Space Agency, Dmitry Rogozin, Russia threatens to abandon American astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who grew up in St. Louis Park.
He's spent the last year on the ISS.
"I become an astronaut for the opportunity to explore. It's got a great combination of mental and physical challenges, and also it's a job where you have the ability to contribute to all humankind," said Vande Hei in a September Q & A with students at St. John's University.
Vande Hei himself is a St. John's University graduate, and is set to return to Earth in a Russian spacecraft alongside Russian cosmonauts on March 30.
Vande Hei's former senior physics professor Tom Kirkman is hoping that goes as planned.
"We're wishing him the best, and as I say I'm pretty hopeful that things will work out well, he's the right guy in the right situation. I'm sure he can handle this kind of unhappy situation that's developed," said Kirkman.
NASA said in a statement they’re are monitoring the situation and working with all international partners for a safe return to Earth for all crew members on board.
"We have a lot of good students but none of them are as high as Vande Hei," said Kirkman.
While possible, former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly said it isn't likely that Vande Hei will be abandoned because NASA has the ability to control the orbit of the space station independently from the Russian space agency.
NASA released a statement in response to the situation as it unfolds:
“NASA continues working with all our international partners, including the State Space Corporation Roscosmos, for the ongoing safe operations of the International Space Station, including work to fly crew members to the orbital outpost and to return them safely to Earth. Roscosmos is slated to launch three cosmonauts to the International Space Station from Kazakhstan on March 18. As planned, there are no U.S. orbital segment crew members aboard that launch.
On March 30, a Soyuz spacecraft will return as scheduled carrying NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov back to Earth. Upon their return, Vande Hei will hold the American record for the longest single human spaceflight mission of 355 days.”
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