Houston Chronicle by Alex Stuckey Jan. 8, 2019
Russian space agency officials are demanding answers from NASA after their leader’s invitation to Houston was rescinded last week.
“We are still waiting for clarification on the current situation from the American agency through our established partner channels or from NASA representatives in Russia,†Vladimir Ustimenko, a representative for the Russia state space corporation Roscosmos, told state-run news agency TASS on Sunday. “So far even formal notifications about the cancellation of the official Russian visit have not been received yet.â€
NASA officials, many of whom are furloughed because of the federal government shutdown, did not respond to a request for comment.
Space agency Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Friday night revoked Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin’s invitation to visit Houston — home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center where the nation’s astronauts live and train — that was extended in October. Bridenstine’s announcement came just days after criticism over Rogozin’s visit grew from a quiet whisper to a steady roar.
“We had heard from numerous senators suggesting that this was not a good idea and I wanted to be accommodating to the interest of the senators,†Bridenstine told the Washington Post late Friday.
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