Space agencies extend support for ISS extension; Russia to remain part of ISS: NASA Administrator

Russia will remain a part of the International Space Station through the end of the decade, said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson while speaking on a panel at the 36th Space Symposium with the heads of seven other space agencies on August 25, 2021. 

The NASA Administrator said that the "cooperation with the Russians, which has been there ever since 1975, will continue" despite media reports claiming that its space agency, Roscosmos might end its participation on the ISS as soon as the middle of the decade to develop its own station.

He said that the evidence of this is the docking of a new Russian module, called Nauka, with the International Space Station last month. 

The NASA Administrator has since long called for an extension of the ISS's term to 2030. The US Congress is yet to though formally authorize such an extension and any extension of the ISS would also require the agreement of the other station partners including Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan. 

NASA warns of emerging space race with China

•NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, while expressing optimism about continued cooperation with Russia, doubted that the cooperation will be extended to China. He warned saying that unfortunately, "we are in a space race with China."

•The NASA Administrator did offer a prospect for cooperation, but under terms that are unlikely to be accepted by China. 

•He said that he would like for China to be a partner, drawing an analogy to space cooperation between the US and former the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

•However, he added saying that "China is very secretive,” and "part of the civilian space program is that you’ve got to be transparent.”

•The ESA has reportedly received an invitation from China and Russia to cooperate on their international lunar research station project, which was announced earlier this year. 

•The ESA Director General said that a discussion about potential cooperation is ongoing among ESA members. He though emphasised that the ESA has a strong and excellent partnership with NASA. 

Background 

There have been calls to privatize ISS operations to pursue future Moon and Mars missions. Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine had stated that "given our current budget constraints if we want to go to the moon and we want to go to Mars, we need to commercialize low Earth orbit and go on to the next step."