Authors of draft design of new Russian space station need more time - Rogozin

MOSCOW. April 11 (Interfax) - The deadline for preparing a draft design of a new Russian space station may be postponed at the request of design authors, Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin said.

"Energia has asked for more time. They want an opportunity to work in 2023. That's for starters. Besides, I will definitely take a look at the initial results, as I will raise objections to a proposal that another Mir station or ISS be built," Rogozin said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Roscosmos said on April 8 that its Scientific and Technical Council had approved the elaboration and construction of modules of a new Russian orbital station, following the acceptance of the draft design.

Rogozin said in November 2021 that the work on a draft design of a Russian space service station had begun and noted that the draft would be ready "within 12 to 18 months."

As reported earlier, Russia has decided to build a space station of its own and is considering a withdrawal from the International Space Station (ISS) project due to the deteriorating technical condition of the ISS' Russian segment.

Also, as the Russian-U.S. relations are degrading amid the Ukraine conflict, Rogozin has said that further ISS cooperation is possible only if the sanctions imposed on the Russian space industry are lifted. Rogozin said on April 2 that the state corporation would draft proposals regarding the time of Russia's withdrawal from the ISS project for consideration by the national leadership.