Space chaos: Putin announces the end of Russia's ISS - but now NASA is contradicting

Created: 07/27/2022, 22:37

Under Kremlin boss Putin: Russia wants to get out of the International Space Station ISS after 2024 © NASA / dpa

The head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos announced on Tuesday that he intends to stop operating the International Space Station (ISS) from 2024.

Russia apparently rowed back on Wednesday.

Update from July 27, 2022, 10:23 p.m .:

Russia surprised NASA on Tuesday with the statement that it would stop operating the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024.

"Nasa has not been informed of the decisions of any of the partners," said Nasa boss Bill Nelson of the German Press Agency on Tuesday.

On Wednesday it was announced that Russia would apparently continue to participate in the ISS until at least 2028.

This was confirmed by NASA's head of manned missions, Kathy Lueders, to the Reuters news agency.

This was learned from Russian colleagues, said the manager, adding: "At the working level, there are no signs that anything has changed."

After 2024, Russia no longer wants to be involved in the operation of the International Space Station (ISS).

First message:

"The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made": Russia will no longer participate in the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024.

"Of course we will fulfill all our obligations to our partners," said the new head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos, Yuri Borisov, on Tuesday.

Borissov said this during a televised meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while also announcing the construction of his own space station.

The Kremlin chief had previously installed Borissov as the successor to Dmitry Rogozin at the head of the Russian space agency.

Russia sanctions because of the Ukraine war - but continued ISS cooperation

Rogozin had repeatedly questioned cooperation with the United States, also in view of the political tensions between Moscow and Washington in the wake of the Ukraine war.

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.

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Russia is getting out of the ISS - and wants to build its own space station by then

Borisov said that the construction of a Russian space station should start before the exit.

The ISS was getting on in years 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.

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.

Without the cooperation of Russia, however, the station cannot continue to operate in this way.