WASHINGTON, May 2 The future of the International Space Station (ISS) after 2030 will be largely determined by the private players in this industry, said the head of the American organization Space Foundation, a retired assistant US Navy Admiral Tom Zelibor.
The Space Foundation is a respected non-profit organization dedicated to promoting space exploration and raising awareness of major events in the industry.
«In terms of what happens to the ISS after 2030, that future will be determined, if not driven, by the global commercial space industry» — Zelibor said.
In his opinion, technology and other types of opportunities that private players offer today «are game changers for everyone.» «The availability of these types of commercial resources will not only increase flexibility and choice, but also create more personalized approaches to meet the needs of those who wish to get into low Earth orbit for research or access to other opportunities,» — said the head of the Space Foundation.
Responding to the question of whether we should expect the transition of space cooperation from the state to the commercial plane in the near future, Zelibor praised the various approaches that the private sector offers in this area today.
«Today, over 90 countries have access to space, and the development of the commercial space industry has made this explosive growth possible. Allowing commercial companies to provide space services allows civil space agencies and organizations to focus on other important tasks that would otherwise be impossible» Zeibor pointed out.
The United States, the European Union and Japan have previously announced plans to continue working on the ISS until 2030. Russia, for its part, has not yet decided on a final date. Thus, Yury Borisov, General Director of Roskosmos, previously reported to President Vladimir Putin about the decision to withdraw from the ISS project after 2024, but later he also said that Russia would most likely participate in the project until 2028.
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