Home / Science / Roscosmos Reveals 2.5-Year Plan to Deorbit International Space Station
Roscosmos Reveals 2.5-Year Plan to Deorbit International Space Station
28 Jul
Summary
- Roscosmos CEO announces draft program to deorbit ISS in 2.5 years
- Russia and US to discuss extending ISS operations until at least 2028
- ISS has been in orbit since 1998, weighs up to 470 tons with docked spacecraft
According to Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov, a draft program has been developed to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) within the next 2.5 years. Bakanov made this announcement during his visit to Houston, Texas, where he is meeting with the heads of the Russian and American space agencies for the first time in eight years.
During the meeting, Bakanov stated that the two agencies plan to discuss continuing the cross-flight program and extending the operation of the ISS. They will also discuss the activities of the Russian-American working group on safely deorbiting the station and flooding it in a designated area of the ocean.
Bakanov previously reported that Roscosmos and NASA had reached a consensus that the ISS should operate until at least 2028, though it will likely remain in demand until 2030. The ISS has been in orbit since November 20, 1998, and currently weighs approximately 435 tons, which can reach up to 470 tons with docked spacecraft. The station is a collaborative project involving Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agency.
