Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov and NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Kenneth Bowersox held talks in Kazakhstan on Monday to explore future cooperation between the American and Russian space agencies. The meeting, which took place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, focused on several initiatives, including preparations for launches from the new Baiterek Rocket Complex.
The Baiterek project, a collaborative effort between Russia and Kazakhstan, is designed to support the launch of the new Soyuz-5 rocket, with test launches expected by the end of the year. In addition to the rocket program, discussions covered the ongoing partnership aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the development of space tourism in Baikonur.
The talks also coincided with the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first crewed spaceflight conducted jointly by the US and Soviet Union in 1975. NASA and Roscosmos are planning commemorative events to mark this historic milestone, though details have yet to be announced.
The meeting preceded the launch of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft, which carried Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Aleksey Zubritsky, along with NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim, to the ISS. The mission is particularly significant as it coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in World War II. The spacecraft, named the “Victory Rocket,” featured commemorative imagery marking the occasion.
Despite the challenges posed by the Ukraine conflict and Western sanctions on Russia, space cooperation between the US and Russia has remained strong. NASA and Roscosmos recently extended their cross-flight agreement to the ISS through 2026, maintaining close collaboration on space station missions for the past three years. The meeting at Baikonur highlights ongoing efforts to foster peaceful relations and continued partnership between the American and Russian space agencies.
