Paris. December, 31st. INTERFAX - The European Space Agency (ESA) supports the decision of the US government to extend the agreement on the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) until 2030 and will send a counter-proposal on the operation of the station to partner countries, the head of the agency Josef Aschbacher said.
"I welcome this news, and I will also send a proposal to all partner countries of the European Space Agency to extend (the agreement on the use of the ISS) until 2030," the head of ESA said.
He noted that ESA would be happy to continue partnerships with NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency on the ISS.
Earlier on Friday, the head of NASA, Bill Nelson, announced that the Biden administration approved the extension of the agreement on the use of the ISS until 2030.
According to him, the extension of the agreement until 2030 as a result will give humanity another productive decade in the scientific field and will provide new opportunities in low-Earth orbit, as well as open up new commercial areas.
On December 20, NASA ISS program manager Joel Montalbano said that the heads of Roscosmos and NASA Dmitry Rogozin and Bill Nelson want to meet in person in Moscow to negotiate an extension of the ISS operation agreement and sign an agreement on cross-flights, the date will be determined later.
