Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine this week will have devastating consequences for the people on the ground. Although the terrestrial implications of this war are far greater than those for spaceflight, there will nonetheless be ripple effects felt by space programs around the world. //

The most prominent space issue concerns the fate of the International Space Station, which is operated by 15 nations but led by the United States and Russia. The countries rely on one another: Russia provides fuel and thruster capability to periodically re-boost the space station to a higher altitude, and NASA gyroscopes provide stability, and its solar panels generate the vast majority of electricity. At present, the station cannot operate without the consent of both partners.

After Biden's comments on Thursday, the head of Russia's main space corporation, Dmitry Rogozin, lashed out in a series of tweets in which he characterized Biden's actions as "Alzheimer's Sanctions." //

All of this translates into fewer resources pouring into the Russian space program and a further diminution of its activities. Without investment, the country is unlikely to be able to afford any semblance of deep-space activities or the creation of its own space station as a follow-on to the International Space Station.

This very likely will push Russia to cooperate further with China, where it has already initiated discussions about joining the Chinese lunar exploration program. But this Chinese lifeline will almost certainly come with costs. China will be interested in partnering with Russia to promote the idea that it is leading an international exploration program—but Russia should have no illusions about who will be driving the bus and who will be along for the ride.