space
Russia is about to do the most Russia thing ever with its next space station
“Russia, meanwhile, will be left to carry on the legacy of the ISS, with all its problems.”
TL;DR
- Russia's original plan for a new space station, ROS, with seven new modules launching in 2027 has been cancelled.
- The core of the new Russian orbital station will be the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
- The ISS Russian segment is set to separate from the US segment in 2030.
- Critics raise concerns about bacteria and fungi accumulated on the ISS and the potential danger to humans and equipment.
- The decision is seen as a cost-saving measure due to Russia's war-strapped economy.
- The Vostochny Cosmodrome, built for manned flights to a polar-orbiting ROS, may lose significance.
- Russia's justification for the orbit change is to enable potential interaction with an Indian space station.