NASA and Roscosmos Seek to Extend ISS Cooperation

This was reported by Ixbt.com.

According to ixbt.com, NASA’s head of low Earth orbit programs, Dana Weigel, announced this at a press conference in Houston. She said the parties are currently working to extend the existing agreement by 1–1.5 years.

Agreement Prospects and Limitations

When journalists asked whether the agreement would remain in effect until 2030, when ISS operations are scheduled to end, Weigel stressed that no such long-term agreements currently exist. The agency representative said the crew exchange program between the two countries is still being discussed step by step.

The press conference also addressed the possibility of including Boeing’s Starliner crewed spacecraft in the crew exchange program. Weigel said the issue is not currently on the agenda because the spacecraft has not yet completed the required certification.

Technical Issues and Safety Measures

According to the US representative, NASA will later discuss Starliner’s potential future participation with Roskosmos. This is due to technical difficulties that arose during the test flight in June 2024.

As a reminder, Boeing’s Starliner experienced serious problems during that test flight. As a result, the spacecraft returned to Earth without astronauts, while NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams were forced to remain on the ISS much longer than planned. They later returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.