The U.S Government Wants To Keep The ISS Functional Until 2030

On Friday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that US President Joe Biden’s administration has agreed to keep the International Space Station (ISS) operational until 2030.

Nelson stated that the Biden administration has committed to continuing research in the orbiting laboratory with international partners, including Russia, for the remainder of this decade. Russia and the United States have worked closely on board the ISS for over two decades.

According to US authorities, a Russian anti-satellite missile test in November created a debris field in low-Earth orbit, endangering the station and posing a long-term risk to space activities.

If approved by foreign partners and funded by the US, the station would be operational until 2030.

According to a senior official at Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, Russia and the United States will collaborate on the International Space Station after 2024.

“As more and more nations are active in space, it’s more important than ever that the United States continues to lead the world in growing international alliances and modeling rules and norms for the peaceful and responsible use of space,” Nelson said in a statement released by NASA.

Tensions between Russia and the United States aren’t just about space issues. Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged cautions over Ukraine on Thursday but expressed hope that upcoming diplomatic meetings will help to calm escalating tensions.