NASA officials have revealed that in protest of Russian actions in Ukraine, the U.S. space agency is suspending most cooperation with its Russian counterpart.

Just one joint initiative will be continued, NASA officials said. It involves the U.S. paying Russia to ferry American astronauts and equipment to and from the International Space Station.

One wonders whether it has crossed the minds of anyone in Washington that Moscow may inform NASA that if it wants to cut ties, fine – but it will have to be an all-or-nothing deal, and good luck getting those astronauts back to earth.

Critics of President Barack Obama’s decision to end the U.S. space shuttle program warned something like this might happen. Obama paid them no heed – and now, the United States cannot even send people into space without asking Moscow for permission.