Roscosmos-NASA Cooperation To Official End as Russia Announces 2024 ISS Departure—Will It Create Its Orbiting Lab?

The Roscosmos-NASA cooperation will soon end as Russia confirmed that they will leave the International Space Station by 2024.

For the past months, Russia and NASA had experienced various conflicts, especially when the former head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Olegovich Rogozin, was the one still in charge.

Although this is the case, NASA and Roscosmos maintained their collaboration. They even signed a new deal recently, allowing Russian cosmonauts to fly on U.S.-based spacecraft.

In exchange, NASA astronauts will be able to ride Russia's advanced Soyuz rocket. But, all good things really do have their ends.

Roscosmos-NASA Cooperation To Official End

According to Tech Crunch's latest report, NASA already announced that it would retire the giant ISS.

However, the original schedule has been moved to 2030, allowing the space union and its other partners to continue using the orbiting lab.

But, Roscosmos has a plan of its own. AP News reported that the Russian space agency plans to leave the space laboratory by 2024.

"The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made," said Yuri Borisov, the newly appointed Roscosmos leader.

During his announcement, Borisov also highlighted the recent hints made by Roscosmos about their ISS departure.

Once Russia completes its plan to leave the International Space Station, its collaboration with NASA and other space agencies working at the orbiting lab will also end.

As of press time, Roscosmos is firm with its decision to leave the ISS. Meanwhile, ESA and other space agencies will still use the giant space laboratory until its retirement.

Roscosmos' Next Plan

Before Roscosmos leaves the ISS, the Russian space agency's leader says they would still fulfill their obligations.

On the other hand, once the ISS departure is completed, Russia said that they would create their own orbiting laboratory.

This means that Russia will join China in creating its own space station. But, Roscosmos hasn't shared any detail yet regarding its planned orbital laboratory.

Previously, Roscosmos brought back the longest ISS-staying NASA astronaut to Earth.

Recently, Russia-NASA cooperation was suspended due to sanctions imposed by the U.S.

For more news updates about Roscosmos and its upcoming ISS departure, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Written by: Griffin Davis