Russian, American explain how they stay united in space

STORY: The mission is highly international, a cross flight between NASA and Roscosmos. Its crewmembers are NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sultan Al Neyadi and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

Asked to comment on what is the secret to working together in space when the conflict in Ukraine is confronting the two countries on Earth, both Bowen and Fedyaev emphasized the focus on the mission.

"We all have the same goal," said NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen.

"The life of people in space, at the International Space Station is really setting a very good example of how people should be living on Earth," said Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

Relations between Russia and the United States have been poisoned by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine but the two countries continue to work closely together on the ISS, an orbital laboratory about 250 miles (400 km) above the Earth that has been continuously occupied for two decades.

Russia has said, however, it plans to quit the aging project after 2024 and launch its own station.