The Europeans do not expect Russia to refuse to participate in the ISS. Technically, it is impossible to separate the two segments of the station. But ESA is already preparing for the moment when its operation will have to stop.
ESA Doesn’t Expect Russians to Leave
The European Space Agency (ESA) does not expect that the Russians will soon cease their cooperation on projects on the International Space Station (ISS). This, according to Reuters, was announced on Wednesday by the director general of this organization, Josef Aschbacher.
The permanent presence of crews on the ISS has been in effect since November 2000. All this time they were mixed expeditions. An international consortium led by the United States and Russia has been creating the station from the very beginning so that its parts cannot function independently of each other. According to Ashbacher, Russia needs Western countries, and Western countries need Russia.
His opinion was confirmed by European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who is currently on the station. According to her, the crew is trying to avoid conflicts due to the Ukrainian-Russian war and concentrate on the tasks of the expedition. All experiments are carried out in accordance with the plan.
ISS still have to be left
The situation with the station remains difficult. Russia has already withdrawn from all international projects from which it could. In addition, international sanctions are constantly reducing its technical capabilities. However, it is impossible to implement Elon Musk’s plans to replace the aggressor country in terms measured in months.
Even Dmitry Rogozin understands this. No wonder, he made a streamlined promise to inform Putin that the Russians leave the ISS when it would be possible. However, there are many reasons for refusing to operate the station in the future and without political reasons. The station is getting old and in the long term it should be replaced by something newer and more advanced, possibly with the involvement of private companies.
The US says that the operation of the ISS will cease after 2030. And ESA is already thinking about what it will do then. According to Ashbacher, the agency is going to rely on its spacecraft in the future. It can become completely independent of Russian technologies.
According to www.reuters .com
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