Astronauts Report What Ukraine Now Looks Like From Space
Russia's attempted takeover of Ukraine is ongoing, and now astronauts aboard the International Space Station have reported what the war looks from space.
Russia’s senseless and destructive invasion of Ukraine continues to rage on, and now we have a new perspective on the war. Recently, astronaut Matthias Maurer reported on his experiences on the ISS to German broadcast station ARD. While recounting his experiences on the space station, he talked about how the destruction of the war could even be seen from space, showing us the scale and scope of this tragedy.
According to Maurer, the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could easily be seen from space. They could see huge columns of smoke from major cities like Mariupol. Another chilling image that Maurer reported was the entire country going dark at night during the early stages of the war. They could also see impacts in Kyiv. Russians are also present on the International Space Station, but apparently, relations have been civilized other than occasionally stiff conversations. As Maurer says, “War seen from above is a hundred times more irrational than from the ground.” This statement rings very true as much of the world hopes for Russia to withdraw its efforts.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a significant impact on the country. The most tragic of which is the rising death count of citizens and soldiers. Many cities in Ukraine have also been significantly damaged. Millions of refugees have fled the country as the war continues to rage on around homes and businesses. The economic effects of the war have spread beyond the two fighting countries, as food crises and oil prices continue to grow significantly. Seeing the events of this war from space is a sobering reminder that we’re all on the same planet and that invading a country for the reasons Putin has provided is a pointless and pathetic endeavor.
It will be interesting to see how the situation on the International Space Station progresses. Since it’s a shared space station between a variety of countries, Russia has the right to be up there as well. In recent news, Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin has threatened to pull Russian cosmonauts out of the International Space Station program. Whether these threats are empty or not remains to be seen. Rogozin’s actions are likely his response to the economic sanctions that have been placed on Russia by the West in response to their invasion of Ukraine. Russia is signed on as a partner with the International Space Station until 2024. The International Space Station will eventually be taken out of commission, reportedly around 2030, before it is gradually replaced with a new station.
It’s likely that Russia would not end its partnership with the ISS very soon, as they would likely want to build up their own space capabilities. NASA is reportedly committed to maintaining the relationship with the Russian space agency, and it’s likely that the partnership will last at least until the 2024 mark, if not the 2030 mark. Rozogin is likely just going to have to stew over the economic sanctions, as the West is unlikely to lift them until Russia withdraws from Ukraine.
