Comments on: Roscosmos finally approves ISS module Nauka for launch

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 26 May 2021 23:03:26 +0000

Maybe the Russians want to sell off their segments to NASA or to private business or another MirCorp and sell Progress services for orbit boosting?

I think David Eastman’s number one assessment will come true: I don’t think the Russians will put up their own station unless they break off their portion from the ISS.

By: David Eastman

David Eastman — Wed, 26 May 2021 20:04:49 +0000

Jim Davis: The Russians have been mulling three basic approaches to their next station:
1. Separate the most functional of their current modules from the IIS after 2024, and add enough new modules to make it work.
2. Divert some of the ISS modules that they have in production but not yet launched, upgrade them a bit, and use those as the core of a new station.
3. Send the in-production modules to ISS as planned and build a new station from scratch.

As of the last meeting a month or so ago, it seems they like something between 2 and 3, where some of the modules in production will go to ISS, but others will get repurposed and used as the core of a new station, which will be at a very different inclination than the IIS is, preventing the re-use of anything currently at IIS.

But as Robert says, the plans and designs that come out of their meetings are one thing, their budget is another. They have plans for a new space station, plans for manned lunar expeditions, plans for multiple new rockets, plans for advanced reusability, plans for upgrades to their launch facilities, and the budget to do MAYBE one of those things.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Wed, 26 May 2021 18:11:09 +0000

In reply to Jim Davis.

Jim Davis: Don’t be so sure. Nauka is about as old as Zvezda, the module on ISS that appears to have structural stress fractures. Russia would likely not want to use it on a new station.

Their problem for leaving ISS is money. They want to leave and build their own station, but they don’t have the cash any longer to pay for it. Thus their continuing effort to partner with either the U.S. or China on future projects. We are their sugar daddy.

By: Jim Davis

Jim Davis — Wed, 26 May 2021 17:36:39 +0000

I think we can safely conclude that Russia will not be pulling out of ISS in 2024. They would save this module for a new station if that was their intent.