Why is Russia leaving the International Space Station?
Russians are also working on the construction of a Russian orbital station by 2024.
Why is Russia leaving the International Space Station? It maybe a disturbing news for many. Since, Russia holds significant power in the global arena and its decision to move out of ISS can mean something else. Well, there are reports that Russians are working to construct their own exclusive orbital station. So, is it going to be more dangerous?
This week, the newly appointed head of Moscow’s space agency informed President Vladimir Putin that Russia has decided to leave the International Space Station after 2024. The statement comes at a time when tensions are escalating between the Kremlin and the West over Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine and multiple rounds of unprecedented sanctions against Russia. Since 1998, Russia and the United States have collaborated on the International Space Station.
Putin was told by Yury Borisov, who was named Roscosmos leader in mid-July, that the station would be abandoned after 2024. Borisov was appointed Roscosmos chief in mid-July. “I believe we will begin construction of a Russian orbital station by this time,” Borisov said, calling it the space program’s “top priority.”
Russia & the United States
Putin responded positively in comments issued by the Kremlin. Until recently, space exploration was one of the few areas where collaboration between Russia, the United States, and their allies were unaffected by tensions over Ukraine and other issues. However, Borisov stated that the state of the space sector was “challenging.”
He stated that he would strive to “raise the bar and supply the Russian economy with the essential space services,” citing navigation, communication, and data transmission as examples. Sending the first man into space in 1961 and launching the first satellite four years earlier are among the most significant achievements of the Soviet space program, and they continue to be a great source of national pride in Russia.
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In recent years, the Russian space agency has suffered several setbacks, including corruption scandals and the loss of several satellites and other spacecraft, according to experts.
Borisov, a former deputy prime minister with a background in the military, has succeeded Dmitry Rogozin, a fiery nationalist politician notorious for his loud words and unorthodox behavior.