During this period, the US authorities want to work with their international partners, including Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe
NEW YORK, December 31. /tass/. The US government has confirmed plans to extend the presence of American astronauts on the International Space Station until 2030. This was announced on Friday by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
"NASA CEO Bill Nelson announced today that the Biden administration and [US Vice President Kamala] Harris are committed to extending work on the ISS until 2030," the statement said.
During this period, the US authorities want to work with their international partners, including Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe, "to ensure the continuation of breakthrough research conducted at this unique orbital laboratory until the end of the decade."
NASA noted that during the existence of the ISS, more than 3 thousand studies were conducted on it, about 110 countries and territories took part in carrying out various works at the station. The extension of the work, the department stressed, will bring "another productive decade of research advancement" and "will allow for a smooth transfer of the possibilities of being in low-Earth orbit to one or more commercial destinations" by the end of this period.
In April, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said that the state of the ISS leaves much to be desired, so Russia can focus on creating its own project - the Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS). The rocket and Space corporation Energia is tasked with ensuring the readiness of the first module for the new station in 2025, it will be a scientific and energy module, which was previously supposed to be launched to the ISS in 2024. On September 2, Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin announced that the start of the ROSS deployment is scheduled in five to six years.