Russia set to quit International Space Station after commitment ends in 2024

MOSCOW • As the race to the Moon receded, American and Soviet astronauts met and shook hands in space for the first time in 1975.

The United States and Russia continued to work together in outer space, looking beyond their hostilities on Earth, culminating in the 1990s with the two nations jointly building and operating a laboratory in space.

The future of that cooperation grew uncertain on Tuesday as the new head of Russia's space agency announced that the country would leave the International Space Station (ISS) after its current commitment expired at the end of 2024.

"The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made," said Mr Yuri Borisov, who was appointed this month to run Roscosmos, a state-controlled corporation in charge of the Russia's space programme.

The pronouncement came during a meeting between Mr Borisov and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Borisov told Mr Putin that Russia would fulfil its commitments through 2024 and turn its focus to an independent space station. Mr Putin's response: "Good."

With tensions between Washington and Moscow rising after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, Russian space officials, including Mr Dmitry Rogozin, Mr Borisov's predecessor, had made declarations in recent months that Russia was planning to leave. But they all left ambiguity about when it would happen or whether a final decision had been made.

If Russia follows through, it could accelerate the end of a project that Nasa has spent about US$100 billion (S$138.7 billion) on over the last quarter-century and set off a scramble over what to do next.

The space station, a partnership with Russia that also involves Canada, Europe and Japan, is key to studying the effects of weightlessness and radiation on human health - research that is still unfinished but needed before astronauts embark on longer voyages to Mars.

It has also turned into a proving ground for the commercial use of space, including visits by wealthy private citizens and the manufacturing of high-purity optical fibres.

An official at the White House said the US had not received any formal notification from Russia that it would withdraw from the ISS, although officials have seen the public comments.

"We are exploring options to mitigate any potential impacts on the ISS beyond 2024 if, in fact, Russia withdraws," said Mr John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council.

Mr Bill Nelson, the Nasa administrator, said in a statement on Tuesday that "Nasa is committed to the safe operation of the International Space Station through 2030".

NYTIMES