NASA astronaut returns to Earth on a Russian Soyuz

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth today aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule and accompanied by two Russian cosmonauts. Vande Hei's 355-day mission is the longest single spaceflight for a NASA astronaut, comfortably eclipsing the 340 days of Scott Kelly's mission from 2015 to 2016. Kelly's interactions with Roscosmos …

[usbac]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

I think the correct rephrasing is:

"relations with Western space agencies have broken down thanks to atrocities and war crimes committed by Russia in its WAR with the Ukraine"

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

Don’t forget Russia threatening to not allow Vande Hei to return to Earth, and the threats to allow the ISS to deorbit and burn in the atmosphere. Friendly guys, those Russian leaders…

[Binraider]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

The relations between Moscow and Washington have been on the decline for years. This isn't a new thing. Economically, Moscow was already feeling like it was in trouble; and desperately did not want a Petrochemical competitor on the European continent to interrupt it's monopoly. Consider also that western europe had already persuaded itself it was a good idea to reduce demand; so I'm sure Moscow sees nothing but long term threats to it's income and therefore it's power base.

Ironically the war has pushed the west to forcibly reduce demand and try to progress alternatives more quickly.

Space exploration is another area that the Russians have now lost out on export business, what with SpaceX being able to out-price and out-capability both Soyuz and Proton - even with comically low wages for Russian personnel. Doing things the same way for 50 years did eventually come with a "price" of falling behind. And with the brain drain on Russia; I cannot see them able to innovate to even keep up let alone re-take such a lead. Angara isn't remotely competitive with other heavy lift options, and, crucially, it still isn't working. It may never.

Trump's ineffectiveness and terrible diplomatic skills are of course part of the story; and seemingly, a whole bunch of yes men in the chain of command fuelling the paranoia - some of whom have already been sacked. Ultimate responsibility lies in the Kremlin of course.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

Or it could have read this way back in 2003:

"relations with Western space agencies have broken down thanks to atrocities and war crimes committed by United States in its WAR with the Iraq"

But the rest of the world obviously didn't care to protest against that 8 year "military intervention" and even if they did it fell on deaf ears of the western leaders who wanted to bring their depleted uranium and cluster bomb enhanced "democracy" to the people of Iraq.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

A lot of people did protest if you remember. Biggest march on London in living memory.

Didn't do jack to change Tony B Liar's policies of course. I am sure it did affect subsequent election results.

Whataboutism is not an excuse to engage in worse behaviour. What about Syria where Russia used chemical weapons to support Assad? Iraq, which used them on its own citizens in Kurdistan?

Or ask the women in Afghanistan if their lifestyle has improved under the resumption of the Taliban? Of course Russia invaded and destabilised Afghan way before NATO got involved.

So don't you dare what about us, you Russian Stooge.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

One-upping whataboutism?

The erroneous assumption here is that the writer is not criticizing there own government and owning some responsibility.

Because we control our own behavior, not that of others.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

So what if you protested war in Iraq? It still happened and the country ended up destroyed and a puppet government installed while the resources were pillaged.

Let me remind you that USA doesn't even share border with Iraq and it still invaded it without UN approval.

The fact that you personally condemned the act doesn't mean shit when the USA never got punished for breaking international law and for the atrocities they committed in any of the conflicts they created.

Until that happens you don't really have the moral high ground to condemn or sanction Russia for not wanting to put up with Wesrern hypocrisy and bullshit anymore.

As for calling any comparison made with the sole intent to point out hypocrisy and double standards "whataboutism", it is really becoming an old and tiresome excuse for ignoring your own shitty behavior.

I read posts in other forums saying how Russians should get in the streets and use violence to topple their government. I don't remember those same people taking pitchforks and toppling their "democratic" governments to stop the war in Iraq despite having more personal freedoms and less risk to do so than Russians do.

So don't you dare asking us all to forget your crimes because they didn't happen today you imperialistic stooge.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

Not that you are in any way a target that can be persuaded otherwise; trying to justify a wrong by looking at other wrongs and claiming "they got away with it" still makes it no less wrong. I make no claims to defend western crime and governments that issued highly questionable orders on justifications weaker than used toilet paper.

The US was condemned for it's invasion by a lot of parties. The ongoing escalation and trade war with China was one of the outcomes - one that China cannot afford to prosecute to the same extent that the entire western world can prosecute Russia.

If you look beyond the end of RT's propaganda, the role of the nation state is diminishing; and, as much as I hate the guy, Jacob Rees-Mogg is onto something with the rise of the sovereign individual. Defending being shit to other humans because other humans were shit to other humans is a pretty pointless exercise for all concerned. I'd ask why can't we all get along; but then naked self interests will flare up once again.

Tech may have improved but the species hasn't evolved beyond the primitive monkeys we are. Waking up and accepting that might improve life for everyone.

[ICL1900-G3]

Re: Let me rephrase part of your report

Downvoted by Putin and Lavrov?

[Danny 2]

A Cloud In Trousers

His Russian pals placed a NASA cap on his head when he landed.

Scientists and engineers are just better than other people, more rational, and the further we get from earth the better we get.

I rated the ISS as the best present I've ever been given. I get an alert on my phone when it passes overhead, with video of the clouds above Scotland from above. The air that we breathe was exhaled by our so-called 'enemies', which is more apparent in a wee tin can.

[nijam]

Presumably he, also, will be arrested as soon as possible after landing, for smuggling drugs into the country (to quote a current example).