Space

NASA Will Continue to Be a Partner Aboard the ISS Through 2030

Bill Nelson made the announcement.

Published

4 years ago

January 2, 2022

The US President Joe Biden has committed to extend his country’s partnership aboard the International Space Station through 2030, announced NASA.

“The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “I’m pleased that the Biden-Harris Administration has committed to continuing station operations through 2030.”

The ISS has recently come to the fore after reports about worsening leak problems on the station. Russia decided to pull out from the space station, referring to frequent technical malfunctions. The country is planning to carry out an inspection of the station. “They [partners] should be fairly notified about the withdrawal from the ISS since 2025,” according to TASS citing Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov’s administration.

Lunar space station by Russia and China

Previously, Russia and China unveiled a plan to build a lunar space station, in which various scientific research will be conducted. Russia’s Roscosmos and China National Space Administration intend to construct the International Scientific Lunar Station on the surface of the Moon or in lunar orbit.

NASA’s announcement to extend the ISS operations

The decision to extend the ISS operations comes after NASA awarded Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, and Nanoracks to develop private space stations.

“Extending operations through 2030 will continue another productive decade of research advancement and enable a seamless transition of capabilities in low-Earth orbit to one or more commercially owned and operated destinations in the late 2020s,” NASA’s statement reads. “The decision to extend operations and NASA’s recent awards to develop commercial space stations together ensure uninterrupted, continuous human presence and capabilities; both are critical facets of NASA’s International Space Station transition plan.”

The space-based laboratory operating some 250 miles above Earth’s surface is supported by the European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, Russia’s Roscosmos, and NASA.