NASA employees cannot travel to Russia

Citing tensions over Ukraine, NASA cuts most ties with Russia. It suspends all activities except the International Space Station. NASA employees cannot travel to Russia or host Russian visitors. The agency forbids them from emailing or holding teleconferences with Russian counterparts. In a statement, NASA says it is laser focused on a plan to launch human space flights on American soil and end its reliance on Russia to get into space. Given its budget, the agency says that will happen in 2017. Since ending the space shuttle program, NASA has paid Russia nearly $71 million for a seat on its rocket to the International Space Station.