US astronaut Mark Vande Hei is in danger of being abandoned by Russia on the International Space Station (ISS). What does NASA say about this?
As reported, the head of the Russian space agency Dmitry Rogozin has threatened to leave Mark on the ISS in retaliation to US sanctions imposed on Russia. It was shown in the Russian media.
Vande Hei is scheduled to return to Earth on March 30 with two Russian cosmonauts, Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov. They used a Russian Soyuz MS-19 capsule with a landing site in Kazakhstan.
Well, Roscosmos TV then stated that the threats made were meant as a joke. As such, Vande Hei will likely stay back on schedule.
The NASA spokesperson also confirmed that Vande Hei will return from the ISS as planned so far. "On March 30, the Soyuz spacecraft will return as scheduled, bringing NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov back to Earth," he said.
Should Russia actually live up to its threat, there is still an alternative to bringing Vande Hei home. There are still several US astronauts currently in space, as well as two German astronauts. Vande Hei can hitch a ride in their vehicle or if needed, wait for a pick-up from SpaceX.
However, the Russian threat still caused panic. Mark's family, a father of two, were worried. "What a terrible threat. The first time I heard it, I cried. We prayed a lot," said Mark's mother, Mary, who is 77 years old.
Mark's wife was certainly very worried about the fate of her husband. "His wife, Julie, who lives in Texas, is very worried right now. It's a really tough situation for her," said Mary.