Since 2009, the typical crew of the International Space Station (ISS) has usually consisted of three Russian cosmonauts and three to four NASA representatives, sometimes with Europeans, Japanese or Canadians replacing Americans depending on each agency's quota.

Their roles are not redundant but rather allow for specialized division of labor.

Nowadays, it is no longer necessary for each Russian cosmonaut to be a professional maintenance engineer who knows the American modules thoroughly.

It is sufficient that the crew includes experts in various fields.

What does this look like in practice?

Russian cosmonauts can work in the American, European or Japanese modules and conduct experiments there.

However, if a system in the American module fails, it will be repaired by the American cosmonauts themselves.

Nevertheless, there is one important exception—emergency situations.

In such cases, there is no concept of "users."

If an emergency alarm sounds—depressurization, fire, ammonia leak—each crew member must know how to act and what to do in any module of the International Space Station, regardless of which country they belong to.

Therefore, preparations for emergencies, evacuations, firefighting, and wearing gas masks must be comprehensive for everyone.

In this regard, interchangeability must be 100%.

Since 2020, life on the station has changed again.

In addition to the Russian Soyuz, the American commercial spacecraft Crew Dragon, developed by Elon Musk, was added.

Now, the crew size has increased to seven: three arrived by Soyuz, and four by Crew Dragon.

The station has become more lively and more international.

The distribution of training locations follows the distribution of partners.

Astronauts and cosmonauts are trained around the world: Star City (Russia), Houston (USA), Montreal (Canada), Cologne (Germany, home of the European Astronaut Centre), and Tsukuba (Japan).

Each country is responsible for teaching how to operate its own equipment.

A historical turning point in space flight development.

In May 2012, something happened on the space station that many called a "revolution."

The Dragon spacecraft docked with the space station—this was the first commercial spacecraft built by a private company, SpaceX, in history.

Before that, only national spacecraft were responsible for transporting cargo to the International Space Station: Russia's Progress, Europe's ATV, and Japan's HTV.

Afterward, the cargo version of the Dragon spacecraft began to steadily deliver research equipment, food, water, and all the supplies needed for living in orbit to the International Space Station.

Seven years later, a new chapter in history was written.

The crewed version of the Dragon spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station.

All of this proved that private companies are capable of building crewed spacecraft.

International cooperation on the International Space Station.

On July 14, 2022, something happened that might seem like a technical procedure at first glance, but was actually a crucial step in the evolution of the international space sector.

The Russian Space Agency Roscosmos and NASA signed an agreement regarding so-called cross-flight or joint-flight missions.

This document actually meant that Russian cosmonauts would regularly travel on the American Crew Dragon spacecraft, while American astronauts would travel on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

Why is this necessary?

The agreement clearly states the main goal: in case of an emergency or any delay in a country's spacecraft launch, at least one Russian and one American representative will remain on the space station.

Why is this so crucial?

Because the modules are different.

Russian equipment requires Russians to maintain and repair it, and American equipment requires Americans.

Joint crews can avoid such situations from occurring.

But in fact, this document brings more than just that—it truly unites the crew into a team, where nationality no longer determines which spacecraft you take.

In 2022, Anna Kikina became the first Russian woman to travel to the International Space Station on the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

The program is running, experience is being accumulated, and trust is growing.

The cross-flight program has not only been implemented but has also been extended until 2026.

Joint flights have become the inevitable outcome of a long journey: from the initial joint spacewalks and working in each other's spacesuits, to completely mixed crews at the launch site.

Today, Russians launching from Florida and Americans launching from Baikonur no longer surprise anyone.

This is simply a new normal.

A new normal that truly protects the International Space Station from technical failures and delays.

The history of the International Space Station is not merely a chronicle of launches, docking, and spacewalks.

Behind every flight and every crew rotation lies a massive amount of unseen organizational work.

Since the mid-1990s, interactions between partner countries have taken place on multiple levels.

Committees ensure communication is maintained in all key areas: station operations, crew selection and appointment, medical examinations, training coordination, and of course, responses to abnormal and emergency situations.

One of the most important mechanisms is the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP). It is here that the composition of future expeditions is determined. Each partner country proposes candidates based on its own flight capabilities and quotas. The committee integrates these suggestions into a whole, determining who will carry out the next flight, who will replace them in case of illness or delay, and how to allocate seats on the Soyuz and Crew Dragon spacecraft to maintain balance and efficiency in orbital operations.

Medical technology: How space challenges make humans stronger.

Looking back over thirty years of cooperation, the most significant point is that the crew members of the International Space Station are no longer just experts from different countries carrying out their respective national plans.

They have evolved into a unified and indivisible mechanism, with responsibilities and obligations assigned so clearly and meticulously that the station can operate continuously for years without interruption.

Continuous communication between space agency leaders and ordinary engineers in working groups is not bureaucratic formalism.

It is the foundation upon which the entire structure relies.

Thanks to these endless coordination, meetings, compromises, and solutions found, humanity has had the only permanently inhabited outpost beyond Earth for the past quarter of a century.

Reference: Oleg Kononenko

"Cooperation between Roscosmos and NASA has become the new norm"

Images from the web

Original: toutiao.com/article/7616115917886243364/

Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author."