International Space Station’s future in doubt with Moscow moving out
After 22 years hosting humans in orbit, the ageing International Space Station’s days are numbered – but Russia’s plan to pull out early has space agencies in a spin and ends an era of co-operation
READING LEVEL: ORANGE
Russia will pull out of the International Space Station after 2024 and build its own orbiting outpost, the country’s new space chief has announced, amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the war in Ukraine.
The announcement puts the future of the 24-year-old space station in doubt, with experts saying it would be extremely difficult to keep it running without the Russians. NASA and its partners had hoped to continue operating it until 2030.
Appointed in July as head of the Russian space agency Roscocosmos, Yuri Borisov said during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin that the decision to leave the station after 2024 had been made.
“I think that by that time we will start forming a Russian orbiting station,” he said.
The space station has long been a symbol of post-Cold War international teamwork in the name of science, but is now one of the last areas of co-operation between the US and the Kremlin.
NASA officials said they had yet to hear directly from their Russian counterparts* on the matter. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson issued a statement saying that the agency was “committed to the safe operation” of the space station through 2030 and continued “to build future capabilities to assure our major presence in low-Earth orbit.”
US State Department spokesman Ned Price called the announcement “an unfortunate development” given the “valuable professional collaboration* our space agencies have had over the years.”
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US was “exploring options” for dealing with a Russian withdrawal.
Russian officials have long talked about their desire to launch their own space station and have complained that the wear and tear on the ageing International Space Station is compromising* safety and could make it difficult to extend its lifespan.
Cost may also be a factor. With Elon Musk’s SpaceX company now flying NASA astronauts to and from the space station, the Russian space agency lost a major source of income. NASA had been paying tens of millions of dollars per seat for rides aboard Russian Soyuz rockets for years.
The space station is jointly run by Russia, the US, Europe, Japan and Canada. The first piece was put in orbit in 1998, and the outpost has been continuously inhabited* for nearly 22 years. It is used to conduct scientific research in zero gravity and test technology for future journeys to the moon and Mars.
It typically has a crew of seven, who spend months at a time aboard the station as it orbits about 420km above Earth. Three Russians, three Americans and one Italian are now on board.
The $US100 billion-plus complex is about as long as a football field and consists of two main sections, one run by Russia, the other by the US and the other countries. It was not immediately clear what would be done to the Russian side of the complex to safely operate the space station once Moscow pulls out.
University of Chicago science historian Dr Jordan Bimm said Russia’s announcement “creates a constellation* of uncertainties about maintaining the station which don’t have easy answers.”
“What will `leaving’ look like?” he said. “Will the last cosmonauts* simply undock a Soyuz and return to Earth, leaving the Russian-built modules attached? Will they render* them inoperable* before leaving? Will NASA and its international partners have to negotiate to buy them out and continue using them? Can these modules even be maintained without Russian know-how?”
Borisov insisted his agency’s decision wasn’t related to politics.
“There are no political aspects here, and I believe there shouldn’t be any,” he said.
“The International Space Station has enriched science with knowledge about the Earth and about the universe and brought us all together.
“Such projects should stay away from politics. I’m sorry that our joint space projects that are important for the entire humankind are getting a political tinge. It’s wrong.”
But Borisov’s predecessor*, Dmitry Rogozin, said last month that Moscow could take part in negotiations about a possible extension of the station’s operations only if the US lifted its sanctions* against Russian space industries.
GLOSSARY
- counterparts: another person or thing with similar function or role
- collaboration: working with others to achieve a common goal
- compromising: have a negative effect or impact, reducing the quality
- inhabited: when a place is lived in or occupied
- constellation: group of associated things or people
- cosmonauts: Russian astronauts
- inoperable: not able to be used, out of service
- render: cause to be or become, to make something a certain way
- predecessor: whoever held a job or office before the current person
- sanctions: restrictions on activities, goods and services
EXTRA READING
International Space Station set for splashdown
Billionaire’s plan to build new space station
SpaceX junk crashes into Aussie farm at speed
QUICK QUIZ
- How long has the ISS been continuously inhabited by astronauts?
- The ISS orbits how many kilometres above Earth?
- How many astronauts are currently on board the ISS and from which countries?
- What caused the Russian space agency to lose a major source of income?
- Currently the ISS is jointly run by which countries?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. International teamwork
What are some of the repercussions of Russia not being involved in the International Space Station joint project beyond 2024?
–
–
–
What will the world science and space agencies lose with Russia no longer contributing to this joint space project?
Do you think this decision has to do with politics?
Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Critical and Creative thinking
2. Extension
What could be some other options to explore to keep the space station running without the input of Russia? Who might be able to come into the project or help fund Russia’s side of the deal?
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: Science, Critical and Creative thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.