Russia Will Keep ISS in Orbit if NASA Withdraws from the Project

March 25, 2019 (EIRNS)—Roscosmos is willing to maintain the International Space Station (ISS) in orbit even if the United States withdraws from the project, Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin told journalists, reported TASS.

“This is Roscosmos’ proposal. We believe that we can keep the station, in case the Americans decide to withdraw from this project, through other countries and partners. We have technological and technical capabilities to keep the station on the orbit and fully provide both electric energy and water there,”

Rogozin said.

Rogozin also said Russia plans to add its new Science-Power Module (SPM) to the station by 2022.

“Here the Russian Federation has a unique opportunity. We can duplicate the SPM. Its design makes it possible to turn [it] into home for other states—there can be the SPM-2, SPM-3, SPM-4, they may grow further, extending the international part of the station. We formulated this proposal, and we suggest our new partners doing it,”

he said.