Are the space stations days numbered

With all the political goings on between Russia and America and sanctions hitting the economy of Russia hard , which some economists put at $ 100 billion dollars about what it cost to build the International Space Station, which is a bargain as it is shared out between the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and 10 of the 20 European nations who are part of ESA.
www.dailymail.co.uk...
www.space.com...

Russia plans to quit the station in just six years and build it's own station , However, the revelation it wants to quit the ISS earlier is a surprise most had hoped Russia would continue their involvement with the ISS beyond 2020.

The greatest international cooperative project ever undertaken has boosted high-tech jobs in European industry and research institutions but Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin stated 'As for prolonging it till 2024 - that's what we're really doubtful of.'

Maybe China might help out with some money but do not hold you're breath as they seem to be on their own course , the once saving grace is Elon Musk and space x being able to get supplies up and astronauts soon we hope .

I am that age when space was exciting we thought that men would be out there on the planets when we were growing up , have space hotels and be building space ships instead of tanks and missiles to kill each other the most exciting thing is Richard Branson's virgin plane which just crashed due to human error - in the computer age and is nothing more than a glorified x2 plane from 1945

www.astronautix.com...

What do you see in the future for the I.S.S will she crash and burn in the atmosphere like Skylab and Mir or will we get it together maybe the rant section would be better for this thread

a reply to: douglas5

As far as I'm aware they are numbered just the same as ours. 30 days has September, April June and Novem.......

I'd be surprised to see the ISS crash and burn but then again who knows. I do agree though that the future looks like sustaining multiple space programs by the usual suspects along with China as you have mentioned and India also.

There have been some sneaky things going on up there recently and possibly not only by the US X-37B, what are the Russians' really doing ?

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

The ISS will crash and burn. It is sad but our options are only to resupply and keep it up there or watch it fall and burn. We do not possess a craft to bring it back. Therefor I hope we can cooperate and keep it drifting 150-300 miles above sea level for the foreseeable future. I do agree that politics muddy everything.

Better hope it doesn't "crash and burn" because it masses a LOT more than Skylab or Mir.

There will be a lot more crash than burn.

a reply to: myselfaswell

I forgot about India when i was doing the thread they seem to get things done on a tight budget and might make good partners in the space station . but anti-satellite weapons are the way things seem to be heading

a reply to: douglas5

I suspect they would be good partners, very clever and dedicated people able to put stuff in space for practically nothing in relative comparison to others.

"anti-satellite weapons", if there really is going to be a new cold war watch this space.

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

a reply to: TacticalStats

The 40 + year old soviet era engines that are being used to launch rockets is a joke even Elon Musk tried to block Nasa buying more of them .

Maybe a hook up with the private sector /Branson/ Musk etc could keep it going a while longer

Between you and me, I don't think Russia has enough money and technological momentum to build their own space station yet. I think it will be wiser for them to stay in the ISS partnership. However, in 6 years many things can happen, including a NATO war against Russia, or some other political and economic crisis that could cripple Russia's space abilities.

When (but not "if") the ISS does reenter and burn up in the atmosphere, it will be a fearsome sight, and best done over the Pacific.

a reply to: wildespace

My thoughts exactly , this could be just political blustering in the part of the Russians who are worried about the NATO build up on their borders , and the loss of so much oil business to the middle east

a reply to: douglas5

If Russia wants to depart and have their own station, so be it. It may just be the kick in the butt we need to get our acts (NASA, ESA, and private sector) together and stop depending on them so much for supply and personnel transportation.

Strides are being taken with the SpaceX, ATV, and Orion, but not soon enough.

As far as China goes, they have never been ones to cooperate with space. They have their own ambitions and space station program in the works. I don't think that'll change any time soon.

And India? Neat idea, but they're more likely to align with Russia (BRICS?) than the west.

Also, my brother had a good joke about India skipping the Moon and goes straight for Mars. They did that so tech support would be ready for us when we get there!

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

China could be a major partner with their money and teck but that will never happen with the people we have in power at the hight of the cold war Russia and America met up in space to shake hands that will never happen with the Chinese .

Politics in space again

Either way they are numbered. It's just a question of how much longer.

a reply to: douglas5

Right now Russia has enough issues trying to buy food. I would be surprised if the Russian space program is not scaled back significantly.

originally posted by: douglas5
With all the political goings on between Russia and America and sanctions hitting the economy of Russia hard , which some economists put at $ 100 billion dollars about what it cost to build the International Space Station, which is a bargain as it is shared out between the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and 10 of the 20 European nations who are part of ESA.
www.dailymail.co.uk...
www.space.com...

Russia plans to quit the station in just six years and build it's own station , However, the revelation it wants to quit the ISS earlier is a surprise most had hoped Russia would continue their involvement with the ISS beyond 2020.

The greatest international cooperative project ever undertaken has boosted high-tech jobs in European industry and research institutions but Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin stated 'As for prolonging it till 2024 - that's what we're really doubtful of.'

In the President's budget FY 2015 budget request extending the ISS's life until 2024 is one of the major items as well as a mission to Europa:

From Wired: Europa Mission Gets Boost From President’s New NASA Budget

PDF of the budget request

See also: Space.com International Space Station Gets Life Extension Through 2024

Its a shame Russia and America are at it again,. to see what can be achieved and built by competing nations working towards the same goal in unbelievable. I wish the entire world had the same goals in mind, and worked towards a better humanity. Although I do think the space stations days are numbered, it is not because of the current situation with Russia and the US. It will be because of some accident or aging system that malfuntions bringing the ISS down through the Atmosphere and That will be one heck of fireball when it does go.

The ISS is colossally expensive and the US has footed over half of the 150 billion USD bill. If Russia pulls out then that's life, but they've only put in less that 10% so it would not be a massive financial loss.

Regards

originally posted by: paraphi
The ISS is colossally expensive and the US has footed over half of the 150 billion USD bill. If Russia pulls out then that's life, but they've only put in less that 10% so it would not be a massive financial loss.

Regards

The idea of Russia pulling out is not new either. It's kinda been the plan since before the new little cold war.

On 17 June 2009, Roscosmos officially informed its ISS partner, the United States, about its intention to "build and prepare for operation the first elements of the orbital assembly and experimental piloted space complex by the end of the ISS life cycle."

According to the Russian manned spaceflight contractor RKK Energia, the new station must be able to perform the following tasks:

Large spacecraft assembly

Flight tests and launches

Creating, servicing and completing inter-orbital tugs

Providing medical and biological conditions required for the rehabilitation of interplanetary expedition crews after their return to Earth orbit.

This makes sense as the focus for both the US and Russia is turning back to deep space.

It should be noted that the US is considering building a deep space, space station after the ISS.


From 2012 - Space.com: NASA Eyes Plan for Deep-Space Outpost Near the Moon

NASA is pressing forward on assessing the value of a "human-tended waypoint" near the far side of the moon — one that would embrace international partnerships as well as commercial and academic participation, SPACE.com has learned.

According to a Feb. 3 memo from William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, a team is being formed to develop a cohesive plan for exploring a spot in space known as the Earth-moon libration point 2 (EML-2).

Libration points, also known as Lagrangian points, are places in space where the combined gravitational pull of two large masses roughly balance each other out, allowing spacecraft to essentially "park" there.

A pre-memo NASA appraisal of EML-2, which is near the lunar far side, has spotlighted this destination as the "leading option" for a near-term exploration capability. [Gallery: Visions of Deep-Space Station Missions]

EML-2 could serve as a gateway for capability-driven exploration of multiple destinations, such as near-lunar space, asteroids, the moon, the moons of Mars and, ultimately, Mars itself, according to NASA officials.

A capabilities-driven NASA architecture is one that should use the agency's planned heavy-lift rocket, known as the Space Launch System, and the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle "as the foundational elements."

The idea may be "let the Chinese, the Russians, India and Japan have Low Earth Orbit, we'll move on to higher ground".

Honestly though it is disappointing. Politics should stop at Low Earth Orbit. We're one species and should be exploring the solar system and beyond as one humanity if for no other reason than financial. The more we splinter off and do our own thing the costlier it is and we just end up duplicating each others technological developments.

Reinventing the wheel is an inefficient way to explore and exploit space.

a reply to: douglas5

If one thing humans cannot seem to be able to do, is to get along.

I fear the future will be another space race, with competition more than cooperation.

a reply to: Glassbender777

You have to wonder how much of this new cold war is smoke and mirrors as Obama is still shipping used military equiptment to Russia and business is still booming in other areas rumour has it especially banking staff

originally posted by: douglas5
a reply to: Glassbender777

You have to wonder how much of this new cold war is smoke and mirrors as Obama is still shipping used military equiptment to Russia and business is still booming in other areas rumour has it especially banking staff

Never underestimate the Daily Mail to overhype things. Even calling it a Cold War is kinda silly.