Russia Plans to Leave the International Space Station after 2024

The new chief of Russia's federal space agency said Tuesday that Russia will not participate in the International Space Station program after 2020.

The leadership of the Russian space agency threatened to pull out of the International Space Station due to Western sanctions. The threats have been inflammatory, but they haven't been as definitive as the one made by the new chief. Borisov said that the decision to leave the station had been made.

While speaking at the 11th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference on Tuesday (July 26), a NASA Astronaut said that they haven't heard anything officially. The NASA crew-4 mission is commanded by Lindgren. We were trained to do a mission up here and that mission requires the whole crew and so we continue to work every day to conduct the science and research that we've been trained to conduct Everybody is working together to make sure we accomplish the science and keep the crew and the vehicle safe.

The agency is committed to the safe operation of the International Space Station through the year 2030. Nelson said that NASA hasn't been made aware of any decisions from any of the partners.

The former deputy assistant to the President and Executive Secretary of the National Space Council wrote in an email that Russia's announcement is "not a surprise" and that "reiterating their current commitment through 2024 is helpful for planning."

The real question is when in-depth technical discussions begin for how the transition will be managed and whether there will be a transition. Replacing ground communications support from Moscow and the disposition of Russian assets currently attached to the Station are some of the considerations that will be taken into account. It is not known if the Russians will be able to launch and maintain their own station.

Scott Kelly, who flew to the International Space Station on three of his four spaceflights and spent close to a year on his final mission, believes that the Russians will try to stay as long as possible. He thinks that Russia's announcement is more vague and open-ended.

I think the Russians will try to stay as long as they can afford it. Gives Putin needed credibility domestically and internationally. “After 2024,” is more vague, open-ended bluster IMHO. https://t.co/Jf0jpABg1s

— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) July 26, 2022

Kelly traded barbs on social media with the former head of the Russian space agency after he posted a video of Russian technicians putting tape over the flags of the United States, Japan and other nations. The launch was canceled because of new restrictions.

The U.S. and Russian segments of the space station are interdependent, and it is not clear how much the U.S. could maintain its facilities if Russia left the partnership. NASA plans to shift toward commercial space stations at some point after the end of the International Space Station program, but the partner agencies are only committed to operating the lab for another four years.

There are discussions to extend the life of the aging lab. Bill Nelson, the agency's administrator, has said that the station's tenure could be pushed to 2030. The station costs between $3 billion and $4 billion annually.

The European Space Agency, Canada and Japan have not commented on Borisov's comments. Less than two weeks ago, a long-awaited agreement was reached between NASA and the Russian space agency to swap seats on spaceships going to and from the space station.

Borisov recently replaced the outspoken Rozgozin, who was dismissed on July 15 following months of inflammatory and controversial public statements about Russia.

While his comments can be seen as Russia is setting a hard line against Western sanctions, it could be that he is following in the footsteps of his predecessor who used the International Space Station for propaganda purposes.

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