Russia to withdraw ISS Project in 2024
The decision to leave the international project was formed a year ago
Moscow, July 26, 2022 “The decision to withdraw Russia from the International Space Station (ISS) project after 2024 has been taken, and all obligations to partners will be fulfilled.” The announcement was made on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and director general of the Roscosmos space agency, Yuri Borisov. “We will fulfill all our obligations to our partners, but the decision to leave the ISS after 2024 has been made,” Yuri Borisov told the president. The head of Roscosmos also spoke about the beginning of the formation of the Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS).
The creation of the ROSS station was identified as one of the most important priorities for the coming years. In addition, the new director general of the space industry intends to develop satellite systems to provide space services to the country's economy. Indeed, Borisov repeated to the president his own words a year ago about plans to reduce work on the ISS after 2024 due to the severe deterioration of systems and equipment in our Russian segment. “It's just that, on April 12, 2021, this decision, clearly requested of the president by former Roskosmos head Dmitry Rogozin, was probably not prepared to the end,” suggests the head of the Space Policy Institute, Ivan Moiseev. “- Either we left immediately, or tomorrow, or later… throughout the year, specific dates “floated”. However, it has now become clear that we have confirmed that we have postponed this decision from a year ago, and all previously signed agreements with NASA remain in effect until 2024.
This was the conversation between the Russian president and the head of the space agency:
Putin: As far as manned cosmonautics is concerned, what are the ideas on what needs to be done in the near future?
Borisov: Mr Putin, you know that we are working within the framework of international cooperation on the International Space Station. Of course, we will fulfill all our obligations to our partners, but the decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made. I think at this point we will start to assemble the Russian orbital station. I believe that the future of Russian manned cosmonautics, above all, must be based on a balanced and systematic scientific program, so that each flight enriches us with knowledge in the space area.
Putin: Great.
According to the plan, the first stage of the assembly of the ROSS station was posted on the state-owned social media channels. This involves launching the Basic Science and Energy Module (NEM), the trunking modules, and the air chamber into a high-latitude orbit, which will allow for the survey of the entire territory of Russia, including the Arctic and the Southern Sea Route. In the first stage, only two cosmonauts will be allowed to remain on the station. In the second phase, the number could double due to the advent of laboratory and production modules, as well as the satellite services platform.