Russia cancels joint experiments on the ISS with Germany in response to sanctions

Director General of the Russia state corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin walks in Baikonur airport, in Kazakhstan (AP)

Russia has cancelled joint scientific experiments on the International Space Station in response to sanctions.

The country’s space agency, Roscosmos, wrote to German officials saying that it would no longer collaborate with its space experiments because the country had put new restrictions on Russia.

As a floating home to both Russian and other astronauts, the International Space Station has become a central point of concerns as tensions across the world have continued to rise.

Initially, both Nasa and the European Space Agency committed to maintain operations as normal, but those commitments have become weaker as the violence in Ukraine has increased.

Roscosmos suggested that further sanctions could lead to yet more changes in the way work is done on the International Space Station.

“The State Corporation will not cooperate with Germany on joint experiments on the Russian segment of the ISS. Roskosmos will conduct them independently,” it said in a tweet.

“Russian space program will be adjusted against the backdrop of sanctions, the priority will be the creation of satellites in the interests of defense.”