Russia withdraws from ISS project

This was announced by the new head of the space agency, Borisov. Cooperation with the USA was repeatedly called into question in the course of the Ukraine war.

Russia plans to exit the International Space Station after 2024. The new head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Tensions between Moscow and Washington

“Of course we will fulfill all our obligations to our partners, but the decision to exit this station after 2024 has been made,” Borisov said. The previous Vice Prime Minister Borissov has been at the head of the Russian space agency since mid-July, succeeding the head of the agency Dmitry Rogozin.

Rogozin has repeatedly questioned cooperation with the United States, also in view of political tensions between Moscow and Washington in the wake of the war in Ukraine. After the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, the West imposed a series of sanctions on Russia. However, the collaboration continued on the ISS.

Russian space station planned

Borissov said that before the exit, the construction of a Russian space station should be started. The ISS had recently gotten old and had repeatedly caused a stir due to breakdowns. Rogozin had previously not ruled out decoupling the Russian module from the ISS and continuing to operate it independently. He also indicated a possible use of the station for military earth observation.

After the war of aggression against Ukraine ordered by Kremlin chief Putin, Western countries have also imposed sanctions on the Russian space industry.

The ISS is a joint project of the USA, Canada, Japan, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russia. It is divided into a Russian and a US segment.

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