US and Russia reach deal on sending astronauts to International Space Station

The International Space Station (Nasa via AP)

Nasa astronauts will go back to travelling on Russian rockets while Russian cosmonauts will catch lifts to the International Space Station with US company SpaceX, it has been announced.

The agreement ensures that the space station will always have at least one American and Russian on board to keep both sides of the orbiting outpost running smoothly, according to Nasa and Russian officials.