American astronaut Hopkins returns to Earth with Russian , Crimean cosmonauts . Even if U.S. , Russia are at war , space collaboration endures , Hopkins says . In 2011 , NASA retired its space shuttle fleet , its only means of getting to and from the station . Russian astronauts have no way to get to and from the International Space Station . In return , U.S. brings new , more advanced technology to table .
American astronaut Hopkins returns to Earth with Russian , Crimean cosmonauts . Even if U.S. , Russia are at war , space collaboration endures , Hopkins says . Russian astronauts have no way to get to and from the International Space Station . In return , U.S. brings new , more advanced technology to table .