The Russian space corporation Roscosmos and NASA convened their first in-person meeting in eight years at the conclusion of July 2025. On July 29, a Roscosmos delegation, headed by General Director Dmitry Bakanov, arrived in Houston to conduct a series of negotiations and familiarization visits. Bakanov visited the Johnson Space Center, the production division of Boeing that is responsible for the development of the CST-100 Starliner manned spacecraft, and the assembly facilities of SpaceX spacecraft during the visit. Negotiations with NASA’s Acting Administrator Sean Duffy are scheduled for July 31, 2025.
ISS Operation Extension and Future Plans
The chiefs of Roscosmos and NASA have reached an agreement to extend the ISS’s operation until 2028, with the potential to maintain its functionality until 2030. The United States and Russia have also reached an agreement regarding the importance of safely deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS). They intend to collaborate on this project, which is anticipated to require approximately 2.5 years. Furthermore, the cross-flight program between Russian cosmonauts aboard the American Crew Dragon spacecraft and American astronauts from Baikonur will persist.
One of the prospective areas of collaboration that has been discussed is the joint development of the Russian Orbital Space Station (ROS), which is scheduled to be launched following the retirement of the International Space Station (ISS). Dmitry Bakanov has stated that the parties plan to engage in a conversation regarding the utilization of national orbital stations and prospective deep space missions. Despite the presence of international sanctions and political challenges, these initiatives anticipate the growth of Russian-American collaboration.
The meeting also addressed long-term plans for lunar exploration and near-Earth space, as well as the coordination of ISS work involving international partners, including SpaceX and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The significance of maintaining open communication channels with NASA to assure the stable operation and development of space programs, despite political differences, was underscored by Roscosmos leadership.
History of Contact Suspension and Project Halts
The 2025 in-person meeting between the heads of Roscosmos and NASA was particularly significant because it was the first direct dialogue since 2018, a period in which relations between the Russian and American space agencies rapidly deteriorated as a result of escalating US sanctions and profound geopolitical rifts. Daily technical and operational collaboration—particularly in relation to the International Space Station (ISS)—continued to endure in defiance of these challenges. Even as top-level institutional connections were severely weakened, teams continued to coordinate data exchange, crew operations, and station maintenance.
Nevertheless, the scope of Russian-American space cooperation was significantly reduced following 2022. The climate that ensued after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exacerbated diplomatic disputes, which in turn precipitated a series of international sanctions. The suspension or indefinite postponement of numerous collaborative initiatives was the consequence of these measures, which imposed significant obstacles. The primary regions that were impacted were as follows:
Joint Cross-Flight Programs: Although cross-flights were sporadically conducted, they were subject to stringent limitations. The logistics of crew exchange, insurance, and support were complicated by sanctions, and public and political scrutiny intensified regarding collaborative ventures that involved Russian and US astronauts on each other’s vehicles.
Moon and Deep-Space Initiatives: Exciting joint missions for lunar exploration and deep-space research, including proposals for shared lunar science payloads or joint habitation modules, were either deferred or abandoned. The failure to reach necessary intergovernmental agreements was a result of protracted political standoffs.
The chance to combine resources for advanced scientific studies, like microgravity biology or new propulsion technologies, was greatly lessened, leading to missed opportunities and repeated work.
A Complicated Chapter: Russian Engines in US Rockets
The relationship between the United States and Russia, particularly in relation to Russian rocket engines such as the RD-180 and RD-181, was one of the most glaring examples of their interdependence and subsequent decoupling. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, these engines were the driving force behind numerous significant American launch vehicles, including the Atlas V from United Launch Alliance and the Antares rockets from Northrop Grumman.
RD-180 Engines: The United States has been reliant on Russia’s RD-180 engines for decades to launch government and commercial satellites, including classified national security payloads. After 2014, US legislators began to advocate for the cessation of this dependence, which they justified by referencing national security. Nevertheless, contractual deliveries persisted, with NASA and the US Air Force frequently extending waivers to ensure critical access to space.
RD-181 Engines: These engines were employed on the Antares rocket to facilitate payload deliveries to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program.
Washington escalated its efforts to eliminate its dependence on Russia as US-Russian relations continued to deteriorate after 2022. New engine orders were prohibited, and existing inventories were phased out by the White House and Congress. By 2025, the United States had largely transitioned to newer, domestically produced engines, such as Blue Origin’s BE-4 (for Vulcan) and SpaceX’s Merlin and Raptor engines for Falcon and Starship fleets. The Russian engine chapter concluded with mutual recriminations, but it left an enduring impact on the development of rockets and international supply chains.
In conclusion,
After years of interruption, Russian-American space cooperation is resuming at a more substantive level in 2025. The primary objectives are to maintain ISS operations, gradually deorbit the station, and prepare for new projects, including the Russian Orbital Space Station and joint missions to the Moon and deep space. The resumption of face-to-face discussions and the agreement on future plans represent a new phase in Russian-American space cooperation, surpassing previous pauses and restrictions, although technical exchange and coordination had persisted despite political difficulties and the freezing of several joint projects in previous years.