NASA Says, "What?"

There seems to be some miscommunication between NASA and Russian space agency Roskosmos. The head of the Russian program said recently the United States rejected that agency's proposal for the two countries to work together in returning to the moon.

The brouhaha began Sunday, when Russian news agency Interfax quoted Roscosmos chief Anatoly Perminov stating the US had declined his offer to help NASA with establishing an international camp on one of the lunar poles by 2024.

"We are ready to cooperate but for some reasons the United States has announced that it will carry out the program itself," he said.

That's news to NASA, reports The Associated Press.

"We haven't rejected anyone's proposal," said NASA spokesman Michael Braukus. "We are really into involving the international community in this ... We're very interested in getting more involved and cooperating in our exploration efforts."

Perminov appeared somewhat confused by this latest (non?)development as well... saying NASA's recent decision to have Russian cargo ships deliver goods to the International Space Station shows Russia is a competitive force in space.

"If we had been uncompetitive, such contracts would not be signed," Perminov said. "Strange as it is, the United States is short of experts to implement the [lunar] program," he added.

Why do we feel something was, how do you say, 'lost in translation' here?

FMI: www.nasa.gov, www.roscosmos.ru/index.asp?Lang=ENG