A Russian Soyuz MS-29 rocket lifted off from its launch site in Kazakhstan Tuesday, carrying American astronaut Anil Menon and two Russian crewmates to the International Space Station — a mission that offers a rare patch of common ground between two countries at diplomatic odds.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman walked with Menon to the rocket before watching the launch from mission control at Baikonur Cosmodrome. It was Isaacman's first trip to the Russian-controlled site in eight years, a visit that underscored the significance of the joint mission.
"The integrated work performed over the past several months reflects the professionalism and dedication of everyone involved," Isaacman said.
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The launch comes as the relationship between the White House and the Kremlin has deteriorated sharply following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raising fears about the future of planned joint space missions.
The current mission, like several before it, signals that the "space race" of the Cold War era is over — even as diplomatic battles between the two countries continue. However, further plans for possible Russian participation in NASA's Artemis lunar research program have been grounded for now. The Russian space agency relies heavily on Chinese technology and energy while the U.S. continues sanctions against China.
The Soyuz crew will join seven astronauts currently aboard the ISS for an eight-month science and research mission — helping to maintain more than 25 years of continuous research aboard the station.
