"The new head of NASA, Mr. Nelson, is a respected and honored person and specialist. I will be glad to meet him. We have already invited him to Russia and are ready to discuss openly and constructively all issues of our cooperation in space," Rogozin posted on Twitter.

The response came following Nelson's appearance in a virtual event earlier in the day, where he said that he was going to talk to the Roscosmos chief soon despite US sanctions, as Rogozin "has been solid with regard to continuation and the cooperation with us in space."

Nelson assumed the office of the NASA administrator in early May after the Senate unanimously confirmed his nomination.

Previously, Nelson has served in the US Senate and House of Representatives representing the state of Florida. He became the second sitting congressman to go to space after serving as a payload specialist for the Columbia space shuttle in 1986.

Source: RIA Novosti