n May 30th, at 3:22 pm, astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken departed Cape Canaveral aboard the SpaceX-designed Crew Dragon space shuttle. Nineteen hours later, the two reached the International Space Station (ISS), successfully docking the Crew Dragon at the ISS. The event marks a significant achievement, not only for Hurley and Behnken, but also for U.S. soft power. While the California-based firm SpaceX had previously sent supplies and communication equipment into space, the launch of the Crew Dragon is the first time a space vessel has left U.S. soil with astronauts since the space shuttle Atlantis took off in July 2011.
Since the early stages of the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union used advancements in space technology to demonstrate their relative strength in the world, known as soft power. This continued after the Soviet Union collapsed, and the Russian Federation took over the Soviet Union’s space programs. The healthy rivalry within the space industry allowed both countries to invest in their own scientific advancements, while demonstrating their relative power, and presenting a positive image to the world. This international competition created a beneficial alternative to other forms of contention, which manifested during the Cold War, a system where successes were measured in scientific advances. However, America’s manned space shuttle program came to an end in 2011.
Since 2011, the Russian space agency Roscosmos has been the only organization providing a means of travel between the ISS and Earth, allowing the agency a monopoly on the human space flight industry. All astronauts, from the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, would make the journey on one of Roscosmos’s Soyuz-series space shuttles and NASA or the European Space Agency would pay the price of the ticket—around $80 million per seat. In addition to the hefty price tag, Roscosmos was also able to leverage its position, as the sole transporter of personnel in negotiations related to the ISS. SpaceX’s recent launch brought this system to an end.
Despite the potential setback for Roscosmos with the launch of the Crew Dragon, the agency’s leadership has maintained an optimistic appearance. Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin congratulated the astronauts, NASA, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on the successful launch of the shuttle. Roscosmos executive director Sergei Krikalev emphasized that the event would open new doors for Russian space programs, allowing the agency’s focus to shift away from the transport of international delegations into space and invest more resources in other projects. He also downplayed any potential negative impacts of the launch on Roscosmos, stating that the relationship between NASA and Roscosmos is a non-monetary one and that he sees many opportunities for scientific cooperation in the future.
A healthy competition between the two agencies can be beneficial for both the U.S. and Russia. Russia’s monopoly on the industry has allowed Roscosmos to continue functioning with inadequate oversight, resulting in widespread corruption and fraud throughout the agency. Last year, Russian prosecutors discovered 1.6 billion rubles (USD $25 million) had gone missing. Increasing international competition will force the agency’s leadership to mitigate this, if Roscosmos hopes to survive; without a dramatic shift in anti-corruption processes, Roscosmos risks becoming irrelevant.
Competition will also force scientists to develop new and innovative technologies. Russia is already planning to step up its capabilities to make its space program more attractive. Last year, the agency announced plans to develop reusable rockets, similar to what was used by SpaceX to launch the Crew Dragon.
The revival of the space program in the form of a public-private partnership between NASA and SpaceX reflects a similar pattern across many U.S. government institutions, with private businesses playing a larger role in implementing government programs. Lockheed Martin and Boeing have taken on an increasingly large role in the development of military technology, while companies like Chemonics and FHI 360 implement a vast range of foreign aid projects in partnership with USAID. Utilizing private contractors allows for increased competition in the implementation of government projects, forcing companies to lower their costs, lessening the burden on U.S. taxpayers. NASA’s growing use of contractors for major projects like the Crew Dragon launch marks a major improvement in the efficiency of its programs. In April of this year, NASA announced it was awarding contracts to three companies, including SpaceX, for the development of lunar landing technology. This announcement is a major win for the private space industry and proponents of investment in science.
Government investment in science has far reaching implications outside of the journey from Cape Canaveral to the ISS. Scientific advancements by NASA have contributed to the creation of a wide range of products that consumers worldwide use on a daily basis, from camera phones to baby formula. Likewise, current projects operated by NASA help scientists better understand the impacts of climate change on Earth. Further investment in science, both on and off Earth, will play a key role in solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The United States’ figurative and literal reentry into space presents beneficial opportunities for both the U.S. and Russia. By emphasizing its role at the forefront of scientific advancements, the U.S. is able to flex its soft power muscles. By losing its natural monopoly on the industry, Russia and Roscosmos have the opportunity to eliminate some of the corruption and financial mismanagement prevalent in the Russian space industry.
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Russia Loses its Monopoly on Human Space Travel
July 2, 2020
O
n May 30th, at 3:22 pm, astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken departed Cape Canaveral aboard the SpaceX-designed Crew Dragon space shuttle. Nineteen hours later, the two reached the International Space Station (ISS), successfully docking the Crew Dragon at the ISS. The event marks a significant achievement, not only for Hurley and Behnken, but also for U.S. soft power. While the California-based firm SpaceX had previously sent supplies and communication equipment into space, the launch of the Crew Dragon is the first time a space vessel has left U.S. soil with astronauts since the space shuttle Atlantis took off in July 2011.
Since the early stages of the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union used advancements in space technology to demonstrate their relative strength in the world, known as soft power. This continued after the Soviet Union collapsed, and the Russian Federation took over the Soviet Union’s space programs. The healthy rivalry within the space industry allowed both countries to invest in their own scientific advancements, while demonstrating their relative power, and presenting a positive image to the world. This international competition created a beneficial alternative to other forms of contention, which manifested during the Cold War, a system where successes were measured in scientific advances. However, America’s manned space shuttle program came to an end in 2011.
Since 2011, the Russian space agency Roscosmos has been the only organization providing a means of travel between the ISS and Earth, allowing the agency a monopoly on the human space flight industry. All astronauts, from the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, would make the journey on one of Roscosmos’s Soyuz-series space shuttles and NASA or the European Space Agency would pay the price of the ticket—around $80 million per seat. In addition to the hefty price tag, Roscosmos was also able to leverage its position, as the sole transporter of personnel in negotiations related to the ISS. SpaceX’s recent launch brought this system to an end.
Despite the potential setback for Roscosmos with the launch of the Crew Dragon, the agency’s leadership has maintained an optimistic appearance. Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin congratulated the astronauts, NASA, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on the successful launch of the shuttle. Roscosmos executive director Sergei Krikalev emphasized that the event would open new doors for Russian space programs, allowing the agency’s focus to shift away from the transport of international delegations into space and invest more resources in other projects. He also downplayed any potential negative impacts of the launch on Roscosmos, stating that the relationship between NASA and Roscosmos is a non-monetary one and that he sees many opportunities for scientific cooperation in the future.
A healthy competition between the two agencies can be beneficial for both the U.S. and Russia. Russia’s monopoly on the industry has allowed Roscosmos to continue functioning with inadequate oversight, resulting in widespread corruption and fraud throughout the agency. Last year, Russian prosecutors discovered 1.6 billion rubles (USD $25 million) had gone missing. Increasing international competition will force the agency’s leadership to mitigate this, if Roscosmos hopes to survive; without a dramatic shift in anti-corruption processes, Roscosmos risks becoming irrelevant.
Competition will also force scientists to develop new and innovative technologies. Russia is already planning to step up its capabilities to make its space program more attractive. Last year, the agency announced plans to develop reusable rockets, similar to what was used by SpaceX to launch the Crew Dragon.
The revival of the space program in the form of a public-private partnership between NASA and SpaceX reflects a similar pattern across many U.S. government institutions, with private businesses playing a larger role in implementing government programs. Lockheed Martin and Boeing have taken on an increasingly large role in the development of military technology, while companies like Chemonics and FHI 360 implement a vast range of foreign aid projects in partnership with USAID. Utilizing private contractors allows for increased competition in the implementation of government projects, forcing companies to lower their costs, lessening the burden on U.S. taxpayers. NASA’s growing use of contractors for major projects like the Crew Dragon launch marks a major improvement in the efficiency of its programs. In April of this year, NASA announced it was awarding contracts to three companies, including SpaceX, for the development of lunar landing technology. This announcement is a major win for the private space industry and proponents of investment in science.
Government investment in science has far reaching implications outside of the journey from Cape Canaveral to the ISS. Scientific advancements by NASA have contributed to the creation of a wide range of products that consumers worldwide use on a daily basis, from camera phones to baby formula. Likewise, current projects operated by NASA help scientists better understand the impacts of climate change on Earth. Further investment in science, both on and off Earth, will play a key role in solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The United States’ figurative and literal reentry into space presents beneficial opportunities for both the U.S. and Russia. By emphasizing its role at the forefront of scientific advancements, the U.S. is able to flex its soft power muscles. By losing its natural monopoly on the industry, Russia and Roscosmos have the opportunity to eliminate some of the corruption and financial mismanagement prevalent in the Russian space industry.
