Construction of Russian space station will not interfere with Moscow-Beijing space cooperation between
Russia will withdraw from the International Space Station (ISS) after reaching its planned lifespan in 2024 and is working on a new station to replace it, Russian media reported on Sunday. Chinese observers said that Russia's decision to build its own space station is consistent with its self-reliant principle of developing the aerospace industry but it will not overlook the option to cooperate on China's upcoming space station, as the craft might be the only operational station in orbit that will be open to foreign partners following the retirement of the ISS, Global Times writes.
Russia announced on Sunday that it will end its participation in the ISS project after the current agreement expires in 2024, according to the Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Yuri Borisov. He said that the ISS's "condition leaves much to be desired" as a number of technical malfunctions have been mounting. The station's first module was launched in 1998 and its lifespan was twice extended, first from 2015 to 2020 and later to 2024.
Vladimir Solovyev, a senior official working on the development of Russia's module of the ISS, said that several elements of the station had been damaged beyond replacement. "After 2025, we predict an avalanche-like failure of numerous elements onboard the ISS," he told the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The replacement, called Russia Orbital Space Station, or ROSS, will consist of three to seven modules. Solovyev announced last October that it is expected to include a core module, a production module, a logistics cabin, a platform cabin for assembling, launching and repairing, and a commercial cabin that can accommodate four space tourists.
Chinese space experts said that Russia's decision to build its own space station is consistent with its tradition in the aerospace industry and pointed to the country's technical capability as an advanced aerospace pioneer to develop the craft.
However, Wang Ya'nan, Chief Editor of the Aerospace Knowledge magazine, voiced concerns for the project funding, as "Russia has already rolled out ambitious plans in the next few years to carry out lunar exploration and Mars missions," he told.
Observers added that while Moscow has decided to do it alone, it has not shut the door for future cooperation on China's upcoming space station that is expected to be operational by 2022.
"There will be a gap for participants on the ISS after its expiration in 2024 and they will seek a new place to send astronauts and projects to. China's space station by that time may be the only one to be operational in orbit and China has shown an open attitude that welcomes the boarding of foreign partners," Wang noted.
In June 2019, the China Manned Space Engineering Office selected the first batch of scientific experiments to be brought onboard China's space station. Projects from 17 countries were approved, including Russia, Belgium, Kenya, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
Despite Moscow's decision to go ahead alone, Roscosmos has also restated its commitment to welcome international cooperation. In March, it signed a lunar exploration deal with China to jointly build a lunar research station.
Azerbaijan hosts World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue
01 May 2024 / 13:38
63 people detained during Tbilisi protest
01 May 2024 / 13:32
Armenia’s Pashinyan spills water on his desk, clothes to explain what he is doing in Tavush Province
30 April 2024 / 13:25
Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs to meet in Kazakhstan
29 April 2024 / 13:40
Aram I: Mr. Erdogan, our ancestors were massacred by your ancestors, don't try to oppose diaspora to Armenia
24 April 2024 / 14:20
Azerbaijan and Armenia start border delimitation process
23 April 2024 / 11:38
Armenia premier: Our society asks why we continue to be member state of CSTO?
23 April 2024 / 11:30
Ilham Aliyev on his way to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin
22 April 2024 / 10:39
German Foreign Ministry reacts to agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on border delimitation
22 April 2024 / 10:32
Is Pashinyan going to attend Putin's inauguration?
17 April 2024 / 14:40
Russian peacekeepers’ pulling out from Nagorno-Karabakh has begun, Kremlin confirms
17 April 2024 / 14:34
Tokayev: Kazakhstan ready to offer platform for Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations
15 April 2024 / 13:37
U.S. refuses to join Israel in retaliatory action against Iran
15 April 2024 / 11:33
Olivier Decottignies: France is providing Armenia military gear everyone’s desperate to get
09 April 2024 / 13:58
Ruben Vardanyan nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
08 April 2024 / 13:48