ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

Russia says US astronaut intentionally damaged the ISS to come home early– the US is having none of it

Grab the space popcorn, 'cause the soap opera has just started.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
August 18, 2021
in Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Although the Cold War is technically over, the US and Russia are adversaries on multiple fronts, and rarely seem to get along. Space was one of the few exceptions — for the most part, at least. But things are getting tense on the International Space Station (ISS) too.

In an unsubstantiated article by Russia’s state-owned news agency TASS, a “high-ranking,” anonymous employee of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos accused US astronaut Serena Auñon-Chancellor of deliberately sabotaging the station.

The article in Russian seeks to address criticisms of the recent Nauka incident, and the Russian space program in general, and at one point, the article makes a special mention of an event from a Soyuz spacecraft in 2018, when an air leak was observed at the orbiting laboratory. The Russian mouthpiece accused Auñon-Chancellor of drilling a hole herself in the ISS’s Soyuz MS-09 vehicle.

The reasoning, the unnamed official claims, is that the American astronaut suffered a “psychological crisis” after experiencing a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the internal jugular vein of their neck). The article doesn’t offer any evidence but goes on to claim that American astronauts refused a polygraph test and the video camera at the junction of the Russian and American segments did not work at that time.

Obviously, suffering from a medical condition while orbiting the Earth in a research module is far from ideal. But from this to sabotaging a module just so you can get home earlier is a very big leap. Without any evidence and nothing more than an anonymous accusation, few were really convinced. NASA also wasn’t having it.

“NASA astronauts, including Serena Auñón-Chancellor, are extremely well-respected, serve their country, and make invaluable contributions to the agency,” Kathy Lueders, chief of human spaceflight for NASA, tweeted on Friday. “We stand behind Serena and her professional conduct. We do not believe there is any credibility to these accusations.”

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson followed up, adding: “I whole-heartedly agree with Kathy’s statement. I fully support Serena and I will always stand behind our astronauts.”

However, NASA also didn’t publish an official statement clarifying the situation, and the one they did doesn’t directly exonerate the US astronaut.

“To protect their privacy, the agency will not discuss medical information regarding crew members.”

Perhaps, as Ars so eloquently put it, NASA just wanted to avoid a pissing match with Rocosmos, or simply thought it beneath them to flat out deny something as crazy as an astronaut sabotaging a module. But the spat is unlikely to be a minor incident.

RelatedPosts

Asteroseismology pioneers who peered inside the sun awarded prestigious prize
It’s time to start considering wearing face masks — even if you don’t like it
This Film Shaped Like Shark Skin Makes Planes More Aerodynamic and Saves Billions in Fuel
Why the COVID-19 variants are so dangerous and how to stop them spreading

America’s and Russia’s space efforts are drifting further and further apart, with Russia planning to withdraw from the ISS and teaming up with China to build a new station.

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

News

Pluto’s Moons and Everything You Didn’t Know You Want to Know About Them

byMihai Andrei
10 hours ago
Future

Japan Is Starting to Use Robots in 7-Eleven Shops to Compensate for the Massive Shortage of Workers

byMihai Andrei
10 hours ago
Alien life

This Bizarre Martian Rock Formation Is Our Strongest Evidence Yet for Ancient Life on Mars

byMihai Andrei
11 hours ago
Health

A small, portable test could revolutionize how we diagnose Alzheimer’s

byTudor Tarita
16 hours ago

Recent news

Pluto’s Moons and Everything You Didn’t Know You Want to Know About Them

September 11, 2025 - Updated on September 12, 2025

Japan Is Starting to Use Robots in 7-Eleven Shops to Compensate for the Massive Shortage of Workers

September 11, 2025

This Bizarre Martian Rock Formation Is Our Strongest Evidence Yet for Ancient Life on Mars

September 11, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.