NASA-Roscosmos barter deal to fly each other astronauts to ISS extended
In announcing its future crew assignments in early April NASA also confirmed that its barter deal with Russia to fly each other astronauts to ISS has been extended to 2027.
NASA announced April 3 that astronaut Chris Williams had been assigned to the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft scheduled to launch to the ISS in November, joining Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. The announcement came ahead of the April 8 launch of fellow astronaut Jonny Kim to the ISS on Soyuz MS-27.
The announcement of the Williams flight assignment was the first public indication by NASA that it has extended an agreement with Roscosmos for “integrated crews” on Soyuz and commercial crew flights to the ISS. Under the no-exchange-of-funds barter agreement, NASA astronauts fly on Soyuz spacecraft and Roscosmos cosmonauts fly on commercial crew vehicles to ensure that there is at least one American and one Russian on the station should either Soyuz or commercial crew vehicles be grounded for an extended period.
Russian sources in January 2025 had indicated the agreement had been extended, but this most recent non-announcement is the first confirmation by NASA.
One interesting change in the schedule revealed by this crew announcement is that Russia will be launching less frequently while extending its Soyuz missions. Previously Russia’s missions were six months long, the same length as NASA’s standard ISS mission. Now Russia will only launch every eight months. No explanation was given for this change, which will likely complicate the station’s already complex docking schedule. I suspect two reasons: First the Russian government probably needs to reduce costs, and flying less often serves that purpose. Second, Roscosmos officials probably want to also fly longer missions for research.
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In announcing its future crew assignments in early April NASA also confirmed that its barter deal with Russia to fly each other astronauts to ISS has been extended to 2027.
NASA announced April 3 that astronaut Chris Williams had been assigned to the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft scheduled to launch to the ISS in November, joining Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. The announcement came ahead of the April 8 launch of fellow astronaut Jonny Kim to the ISS on Soyuz MS-27.
The announcement of the Williams flight assignment was the first public indication by NASA that it has extended an agreement with Roscosmos for “integrated crews” on Soyuz and commercial crew flights to the ISS. Under the no-exchange-of-funds barter agreement, NASA astronauts fly on Soyuz spacecraft and Roscosmos cosmonauts fly on commercial crew vehicles to ensure that there is at least one American and one Russian on the station should either Soyuz or commercial crew vehicles be grounded for an extended period.
Russian sources in January 2025 had indicated the agreement had been extended, but this most recent non-announcement is the first confirmation by NASA.
One interesting change in the schedule revealed by this crew announcement is that Russia will be launching less frequently while extending its Soyuz missions. Previously Russia’s missions were six months long, the same length as NASA’s standard ISS mission. Now Russia will only launch every eight months. No explanation was given for this change, which will likely complicate the station’s already complex docking schedule. I suspect two reasons: First the Russian government probably needs to reduce costs, and flying less often serves that purpose. Second, Roscosmos officials probably want to also fly longer missions for research.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
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3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
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You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
I would like to see the real problem with flying astronauts on both systems fixed.
The fact that they can not fly in each others craft since the suits do not interchange. You can only fly back on what you flew up on.
It should not matter about fitting the seats to the suits. At worst they should just need a life support adapter.
And this should have been figured out before the first flight years ago.
Ships being used as lifeboats should fit everyone at any time. And should carry as many as possible.
And does the Dragon passenger capsule have a operational airlock? It looks like it could actually have one with very little work if it does not already have one.
I can see all sorts of complications trying to develop a cross-compatible IVA suit capability with the Russians.
But certainly the least we can do is to make this happen for all American crew vehicle suits.
Apollo 13 used cardboard and tape—good grief.
pzatchok: “Ships being used as lifeboats should fit everyone at any time. And should carry as many as possible.”
Dean Koontz’s novel “The Taking” begs for the opposite side of the argument as well. His protagonist (I am Legion, page 105 +/-) “phases through” the metal of an orbiting ship. Dean’s saying is that “Boarding protocols ought to be universal”. A little thought gives rise to the other end to match your statement – “UNboarding protocols ought to be universal.” Alien ships, Russian ships, American ships, Greenlander s…. oops, well maybe not the last one.
Jeff Wright – yes, but it was a very expensive NASA-designed and tested duct-tape!
I don’t think we should be using Russian spacecraft for visiting the ISS, or any where else. Back in 1993, I was against working with the Russians, in building the ISS. The space station should have been placed over the equator. Not in its current orbit. Also, instead of building a space station, we should have rented one out. Say $4 million a day, to house 4 astronauts. Somebody would then come along, and built the space station. There should be a 5 year lease.
Lets say that the space station houses 12 people. There are 8 slots being rented out. The remaining 4 slots belong to the company. 2 of those work in maintenance , and the other 2 work in cleaning.
That company would make $8 million a day. The other 4 slots would be for ESA, and Japan.