Russia Could Be 'Key US Partner' in Defining Peaceful Use of Outer Space

Russia could ultimately be a main partner of the United States in determining a peaceful use of outer space as well as outlining appropriate norms of behavior, Space Policy Analyst at the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, Lieutenant Colonel David Anderson, told Sputnik on Thursday.

OMAHA (Sputnik) — The analyst also pointed out that it is important to make sure that the two countries "understand each other's intentions of what it is and how we plan and would like to use space to further our national interests."

"I think ultimately Russia could be a key partner in helping the US and the rest of the world actually as we try to define peaceful use of outer Space, helping identify what are the appropriate norms of behavior and use of space capabilities to either further national interest or really to contribute to the global commons," Anderson said.

"We could find a lot of commonality in preserving the global commons for not just our current generation but for the future generations."

Anderson spoke on the sidelines of the seventh annual US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) Deterrence Symposium in Omaha, Nebraska which is being held on July 26-27.

Executive Director for manned space flight programs at Roscosmos Sergey Krikalev told Sputnik in April that Russia and the United States have opportunities to broaden their collaboration in space, including on flights beyond low-earth orbit, despite the tense relations between the two countries.