Will Ukranian Issues Impact the US-Russian Cooperation in Space?

The recent invasion of the Crimean peninsula by Russian forces does not bode well for future cooperation between the United States and Russia, and yet the International Space Station (ISS) depends on such cooperation. In fact, until the U.S. commercial sector can regularly resupply the ISS, NASA is completely dependent on the Russians to move people and cargo to and from the station.  Russia has also contributed multiple modules to the ISS, such as the Zvezda Service Module (pictured above) containing living quarters for the crew, as well as extra Soyuz crew vehicle permanently docked to the ISS in case of emergencies. 

Earlier this month, Spaceflight Now highlighted NASA Administrator Charles Bolden's statement on the issue:

"I think people lose track of the fact that we have occupied the International Space Station now for 13 consecutive years uninterrupted, and that has been through multiple international crises," he said. "I don't think it's an insignificant fact that we are starting to see a number of people with the idea that the International Space Station be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. It's not trivial."

Hopefully, the ISS can stay above the political fray, but given our restrictions on scientific cooperation with the Chinese, the Congress has shown it will put politics ahead of science.  These are the risks of such cooperation, as we saw with the Sochi Olympics as well.  When friendships fray, much hangs in the balance.