Russia announced Tuesday July 26 that it would stop participating in the International Space Station (ISS) “after 2024”, raising the question of its survival in the context of tensions linked to the war in Ukraine.
Article written by
Posted
Reading time : 1 min.
Russia and the International Space Station (ISS), it’s (soon) over: “We will undoubtedly fulfill all our obligations towards our partners” of the ISS, declared Tuesday, July 26 the new boss of the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos), received in the Kremlin by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “But the decision to leave this station after 2024 has been taken”insisted Yuri Borisov.
A model of international cooperation bringing together Europe, Japan, the United States and Russia, the ISS began to be assembled in 1998. Its retirement was planned for 2024, but NASA estimated that it could operate until in 2030.
This decision by Russia is one of the consequences of tensions with the West since the start of the offensive in Ukraine, February 24. The Western sanctions taken in the process partly affect the Russian aerospace industry and risk having effects on the ISS, some supplies of which could be disrupted.
Minutes later after Russia’s announcement, NASA said it had not received a notification. “official” of such withdrawal after that date. “I think that by then we will start creating the Russian orbital station”who will be “the main priority” of the national space program, Yuri Borissov continued.