According to Robert Kaban, director of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA, astronauts continue to work no matter what
NEW YORK, July 27. /tass/. International cooperation and cooperation are among the key aspects of the work of the International Space Station (ISS). This was announced on Wednesday by the assistant director of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Robert Kabana at the ISS Research Conference, held July 25-28 in Washington.
He noted that he recently accompanied the head of NASA Bill Nelson on a trip to France, during which they had a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. "We discussed the importance of international partnerships and cooperation," Kabana stressed, noting that "state borders are not visible from space."
"The crew is constantly at the station, specialists from Japan, the European Space Agency (ESA) and all its partners, Canada, Russia, our [American astronauts] are working together. And the crew is forced to work in these conditions. And these are difficult conditions, we must support the work of the space station, otherwise they simply will not survive," Kabana continued.
"We need to work as one. And no matter what, we continue to do this," said the assistant to the head of the American space agency. "The head of NASA [at a meeting with Macron] suggested sending all world leaders to the space station, where they will have to get along," Kabana jokingly added, stressing that "interaction between people is a key aspect" of the ISS work.
[b]Russia's withdrawal from the ISS program[/b]
Last Tuesday, the Director General of Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, announced that the decision on Russia's withdrawal from the ISS project after 2024 was made, while all obligations to partners will be fulfilled. He noted that by the time the country leaves the ISS project, the formation of the Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) will begin.
In April 2021, Borisov, who at that time was deputy prime minister, stated that the state of the ISS leaves much to be desired, so Russia can focus on creating its own orbital station. The Rocket and Space Corporation Energia was tasked with ensuring the readiness of the first module for a new domestic orbital station in 2025, it will be a scientific and energy module, which was previously supposed to be launched to the ISS.
At the end of February this year, Dmitry Rogozin, who at that time headed Roscosmos, stated that due to financial constraints it was difficult to simultaneously implement the ISS project and the construction of a new station. According to him, it is necessary to provide for a certain "overlap period" when the ISS and ROSS will be operated in parallel for some time. At the moment, the agreement provides for the operation of the ISS until 2024. In the spring, the state corporation and RSC Energia signed a state contract for the development of a draft ROSS project.
