NASA Director: US-Russia Ties in Space Stronger Than Ever

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The relationship between Russia and the United States in the arena of space remains as strong as it has ever been despite occasional disputes, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Director Jim Bridenstine said in an address at the Canadian Aerospace Summit.

"Sometimes terrestrially Russia and the United States don't get along so well," Bridenstine said on Wednesday. "We have all kinds of terrestrial disputes, but when it comes to space exploration, when it comes to discovery, when it comes to science and the development of space, the relationship between Roscosmos and NASA is as strong as it has ever been."

Bridenstine said NASA wants to keep that relationship with Roscosmos strong.

On December 3, NASA said it plans to launch in collaboration with Roscosmos a new mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Russian Soyuz rocket, Bridenstine said.

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International partnerships are very important in fulfilling space missions such as the one to the ISS, Bridenstine added.

Astronaut training for the ISS has already begun, media outlets reported earlier in the day. Russia's Oleg Kononeko, Canada's David Saint-Jacques and US' Anne McClain are all part of the training.