Russia's top Space designer says plans to build national space Station may be canceled

International Space station

By Sputnik

SPACE

WORLD - Russia might abandon its plans to construct a national Earth-orbit space station if it is decided that the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) be extended, Yevgeniy Mikrin, the general designer of Russia's manned programs, told Sputnik on Monday.

A conference marking the 20th anniversary of the International Space Station was held in Moscow on Monday.

"If it is decided that the ISS is not needed, then we will create our national [space station], and if the ISS remains, we will not need our own [space station]," Mikrin said in response to a relevant question.

Earlier in the day, Mikrin said that the future of the ISS was already being discussed, adding that the decision to extend the station's operation until 2028-2030 might be made in the near future.

The ISS was put into operation in 1998. It was initially planned that the station would continue to operate until 2020, but 2024 eventually became the deadline. 

Russia's main partners within the framework of the ISS are Canada, the European Union, Japan and the United States.