Russia aims to send first crew to its own space station in 2026
Russia's rocket and space corporation Energia said Friday that it aims to deliver the first crew to the country's own orbital space station in 2026.
"If we launch the science and power module in 2025, the first manned mission could be conducted in 2026," said Vladimir Solovyov, first deputy general designer of Energia.
Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos, tweeted on Tuesday that the core module for the new Russian space station is being constructed, and Energia has been tasked with ensuring its readiness for launch in 2025.
In a TV interview aired on Sunday, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said Russia may leave the International Space Station (ISS) as early as in 2025.
Rogozin later clarified that there is no clear decision on quitting the ISS in 2025 and there are currently "ongoing discussions about the gradual withdrawal from this project and the creation of a new national orbital station."
The ISS lifespan highly depends on the technical condition of the modules and political factors, Roscosmos said last year.
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