ISS technical condition to determine Russia's post-2028 participation in project - Roscosmos chief

BAKU. Oct 2 (Interfax) - The technical condition of the International Space Station (ISS) will determine whether it will continue operating beyond 2028, Roscosmos' general director Yury Borisov said.

"We did indeed extend our participation in the ISS international project until 2028. Our participation will be determined by this station's technical condition thereafter," Borisov said at an International Astronautical Congress of space agency chiefs in Baku on Monday.

In the event of a decision to discontinue the project, the participating nations will properly deorbit the station, he said.

"Unfortunately, one day this wonderful project will be over, the station will cease to exist, and I confirm that with our colleagues we will undertake all necessary efforts for its correct removal from orbit," Borisov said.

Borisov said on June 30 the ISS would cease to exist in its current form after 2030.

Roscosmos told its ISS partners on April 25 that Russia had extended its participation until 2028.

Russia's exit from the project should be synchronized with the start of the roll out of a new Russian space station, Borisov had said. The Russian space station project is slated to commence in 2027-2030 and be completed by 2032.

On April 10, Borisov's first deputy Andrei Yelchaninov told Interfax that the Russian space station's construction was tentatively estimated at over 600 billion rubles. The exact sum will be known after preparing the sketch draft, he said.