MOSCOW. Jan 13 (Interfax) - The Russian Academy of Sciences Space Council recommends revising the period of the flight program for the International Space Station (ISS), the Space Council said in a decision.
According to the document, the council said following a report delivered by Vladimir Solovyov, deputy general director of Energia, that the flight period of the ISS needs to be revised, and work should be started on a new concept for the development of Russian manned cosmonautics, "including creating national manned infrastructure in near-Earth orbit."
The document said that as the ISS continues to operate, the resources used to maintain the workability and safe operation of ISS modules will inevitably considerably increase.
Solovyov said earlier at a meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences Space Council that the corporation's specialists have predicted "avalanche-like failures of numerous elements of the ISS" after 2025. Due to increased costs, specialists believe it is necessary to "revise the period for further participation in the program and focus on implementing orbital station programs," he said.
The period of the ISS's operation expires in 2024. It has been repeatedly reported that the period of the station's operation may be prolonged until 2030.
Roscosmos said on November 26 that consultations with NASA and other partners on the future of the station were expected to begin in early 2021.
Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin said at the time that the ISS is capable of functioning for a long time, but some modules may need to be replaced.
Rogozin earlier said that Russia was preparing to create a new orbital station.
It may be based on new Russian modules, node and power, developed for the ISS, he said.