SpaceX To Save Int'l Space Station, Elon Musk Tells Russia's Space Chief

Elon Musk has countered a threat from Russia to drop the International Space Station (ISS) from orbit, saying SpaceX will step in before that happens, G. P. Rodriguez reported for The Sun.

Photo Insert: The International Space Station pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon

Musk has boasted that SpaceX will rescue ISS if Russia tries to drop it from orbit as threatened by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s space chief Dimitry Rogozin, who also bragged that Russian technology and expertise are needed to prevent the ISS from crashing down onto the US or Europe, The Sun reported.

“If you block co-operation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States and Europe?” Rogozin tweeted on Friday, following US President Joe Biden’s announcement of sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But Musk weighed in by replying to Rogozin’s threat with the SpaceX logo.

When a Twitter user asked the billionaire if this meant SpaceX would keep the ISS from falling onto Earth, Musk replied: “Yes.” He also replied to a tweet that showed the ISS without the Russian segment and a SpaceX Dragon attached instead. “Good thread,” Musk wrote.

Russia is a key part of the 15-nation partnership that has kept the ISS orbiting Earth for 23 years but relations are at an all-time low due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday, Joe Biden unveiled new sanctions that he said would “degrade” Russia’s “aerospace industry, including their space program.” Rogozin then warned that Russian engines control the station’s orbit and location.

“There is also the possibility of a 500-ton structure falling on India and China,” added Rogozin. “Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? ISS does not fly over Russia, therefore all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?”

The comments are an escalation from remarks made by the Roscosmos boss just days before when he tweeted that Russia “treasures” its relationship with NASA and would “make every effort to continue as before” regardless of “disagreements between our countries.”

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