Russia to Create New Orbital Space Station by 2030
Russia’s Roscosmos space agency announced on Tuesday that it is aiming to create the four-module core of its planned new orbital space station by 2030.
The head of Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, has approved the timetable with the directors of 19 enterprises involved in the project to create the new station.
According to the agency, the initial scientific and energy module is set to be launched in 2027, with three more modules to be added by 2030 and two additional modules between 2031 and 2033.
Russia has been a partner in the International Space Station (ISS) with the United States and other countries, but with the ISS nearing the end of its operational life, Russia announced plans in 2022 to withdraw from the project and build its own station. Initially planning to leave the ISS after 2024, Russia extended its participation until 2028.
In addition to the module design and manufacture, the approved schedule includes flight-testing a new-generation crewed spacecraft, as well as building rockets and ground-based infrastructure.
The new station will allow Russia to address scientific, technological, economic, and national security challenges that are not feasible on the Russian segment of the ISS due to technological limitations and international agreements.
Russia has a rich history in space exploration dating back to the Cold War era, with Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first person to travel into space in 1961. However, the country faced a setback last year with the failure of its first lunar mission in 47 years.
