Russia space agency seeking to extend ISS participation past 2024: official | Tech News

Russia space agency seeking to extend ISS participation past 2024: official

Russia's space agency is discussing with Moscow a continuation of its participation in the International Space Station past 2024.

By:AFP
| Updated on: Oct 04 2022, 21:06 IST
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International Space Station
1/5 The International Space Station (ISS) photographed by Expedition 56 crew members from a Soyuz spacecraft after undocking, October 4, 2018. (REUTERS)
International Space Station
2/5 According to Russian Space Agency Roscomos, the Progress MS-18 is a space shuttle that is used to resupply the International Space Station, where it is currently docked. (NASA)
International Space Station
3/5 After the successful completion of the evasive maneuver, the International Space Station is currently orbiting the Earth at a height of 414 kilometers, just shy of its maximum permitted orbiting height of 438 kilometers, according to Roscomos on Telegram. (AP)
International Space Station
4/5 The collection of debris in and around Earth’s orbit is becoming a major problem for space agencies around the world. This debris is susceptible to collision with the International Space Station, which could cause catastrophic damage (REUTERS)
International Space Station
5/5 In November 2021, Russia destroyed an unused military satellite orbiting in space which resulted in threat of collision with the International Space Station. Thankfully, the danger passed by without any harm but the crew of the International Space Station had to rush and take shelter in spaceships as a precautionary manner. (REUTERS)
International Space Station
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The Russian Space agency, Roscosmos wants to continue its participation in the International Space Station (ISS) even after the current deadline of 2024. (REUTERS)

Russia's space agency is discussing with Moscow a continuation of its participation in the International Space Station past 2024, a Roscosmos official said Monday.

Sergei Krikalev, head of Russia's human space flight programs, told reporters that Roscosmos had started "to discuss extending our participation in ISS program with our government and hope to have permission to continue next year."

With ties between Russia and the West rupturing over the war in Ukraine, Roscosmos chief Yuri Borissov had announced over the summer that Russia would leave the ISS "after 2024", and would seek to build its own space station.

He has not set a firm date for that plan.

Krikalev admitted that building a new station would not happen quickly, "so probably we will keep flying until we will have any new infrastructure."

His remarks, in English, came during a NASA press conference ahead of Wednesday's launch of a SpaceX rocket that will carry a Russian cosmonaut, two American astronauts and a Japanese astronaut to the ISS.

ISS partner countries -- the United States, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan -- are for the moment only committed to operate the orbiting laboratory until 2024, though US officials have already stated they want to continue until 2030.

The space sector is one of the few areas of cooperation that have survived the extreme tensions between the United States and Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February.

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First Published Date: 04 Oct, 20:17 IST
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