The International Space Station (ISS) is seen as the final frontier of global cooperation after the Cold War.
American and Russian astronauts collaborated despite the challenges of their nations’ relationship here on Earth.
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But even the ISS could not escape the tensions created by the war in Ukraine.
Russia says it will withdraw from the programme after 2024, and launch its own similar space station.
NASA called the announcement a surprise.
But it is unclear how Moscow can untangle itself from the project, which also involves astronauts from Canada, Europe and Japan working closely together.
So, what will be the impact on future space exploration and research?
Presenter: Bernard Smith
Guests:
Pavel Felgenhauer – Defence and military analyst
Amy Thompson – Science journalist and contributor to Space.com
Francisco Diego – Lecturer at the department of physics and astronomy, University College London