Russia might soon be pulling out of the aging International Space Station (ISS). The Russian space agency will focus on launching and populating its own space station, as per reports.
Senior Russian officials have already confirmed the reports; however, deputy prime minister Yury Borisov did say that the agency will soon take a decision on whether sending cosmonauts to ISS is still worth it, reports The Moscow Times.
“We need a technical inspection at the station to avoid any risks in the event of an emergency,” Borisov told TASS, translates The Moscow Times. “We will make a decision based on the results and honestly notify our partners.”
The ISS has been functional for more than 20 years now and has been showing signs of aging, with occasional leaks that require regular maintenance and cracked windows.
In December last year, the US Congress passed a NASA authorization bill that aims to extend the life of the space station from 2024 to 2030, despite its degrading condition.
There are reports that Russia is mapping out plans to develop and place its own space station in orbit; however, details are still scarce. The reports also claim that making a space station would cost the Russian space agency as much as $6 billion.
“We have a 2024 deadline agreed with our ISS partners,” a press release by Russian space agency read. “After this period, the decision will be made based on the technical condition of the station modules, which have basically worked out their lifespan, as well as our plans to deploy a new generation of national orbital service station.”
Previously, Russia also refused NASA’s offer to develop the Moon Gateway, a small space station in lunar orbit. Instead, Roscosmos joined forces with the Chinese space agency and agreed to build an “International Scientific Lunar Station” in lunar orbit.
