Are they aware of what's going on on Earth ? Absolutely, but the astronauts and cosmonauts are some of the most professional groups you'll ever see. They continue to operate well and there's really no tensions with the team. This is what they've been trained to do -- a job -- and they're up there doing that job.

Joel Montalbano

For over 20 years, the International Space Station partnership has operated successfully, and nothing has changed in the last three weeks, we are aware of what's going on, but we are able to do our jobs to continue operations.

Joel Montalbano

I can tell you, for sure, Mark Vande Hei is coming home on Russian Soyuz. We are in communication with our Russian colleagues. There's no fuzz on that.

Joel Montalbano

Each of the partners have different capabilities that they bring, and together we work, it's not a process where one group can separate from the other. We need everything together in order to be successful.

Joel Montalbano