ISS: Russia–NASA Agreement Extended Until 2028

Russia–NASA Agreement: Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and the United States since the invasion of Ukraine, a recent announcement has rekindled hopes for peaceful cooperation above our heads. The Russian space agency (Roscosmos) and NASA have officially agreed to extend the joint operation of the International Space Station (ISS) until 2028. This decision, revealed during an unprecedented meeting between the two agencies at Cape Canaveral, marks a turning point in the station’s management, as its future had begun to look uncertain approaching the next decade. The extension strengthens a strategic partnership that is over two decades old, while paving the way for a gradual transition toward a new generation of space stations.

A Renewed Cooperation Despite Geopolitical Tensions

Since 2022, international cooperation with Russia in the space sector seemed under threat. Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Western economic sanctions, and diplomatic exchanges reduced to a bare minimum had cast a shadow over the future of the ISS program. Yet, against all odds, Russia and the United States have just demonstrated that space remains a common ground, even in a tense global climate.

On July 31, 2025, a historic meeting was held in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was the first time since 2018 that NASA and Roscosmos leaders met in person to discuss a bilateral agreement. The new head of Roscosmos since February, Dmitry Bakanov, and NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, agreed to extend cooperation on the International Space Station through the end of 2028. The agreement has been welcomed as a strong gesture in favor of science, pragmatism, and continuity.

Despite deep political differences, the two space agencies have managed to maintain an operational dialogue, largely due to the technical interdependence of the ISS modules. The Russian segments provide propulsion and orbital control of the station, while the American segments supply power and much of the scientific equipment. A complete separation would have been not only complex but also risky for crew safety.

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov met with NASA Acting Director Duffy

They discussed the ISS, lunar programs and deep space exploration

Bakanov said that Roscosmos ‘will make every effort’ to preserve a channel for space cooperation with the US — and expects the same from NASA pic.twitter.com/ee1r2b54fj

— Levan Gudadze (@GudadzeLevan) August 1, 2025

« The discussion went well. We agreed to continue using the ISS until 2028. It is important that the new NASA director has confirmed this. We will work on the deorbiting process until 2030, » Bakanov told reporters following a meeting with Duffy.

Until 2028: What Does the Agreement Include?

The agreement formalized between NASA and Roscosmos extends Russia’s participation in the International Space Station program through the end of 2028. This decision confirms that Moscow will remain an active partner—alongside the United States, Europe (ESA), Japan (JAXA), and Canada (CSA)—to ensure the operation and scientific use of the ISS for several more years.

Key elements of the agreement include:

• ✅ Continuation of cross-flights: Russian cosmonauts will continue flying aboard SpaceX’s American Crew Dragon capsules, and NASA astronauts will still be able to board Soyuz spacecraft. This “cross-flight” system ensures each agency maintains a continuous presence on the ISS, regardless of which vehicle is available.
• ✅ Technical and operational coordination: Both agencies commit to maintaining the station jointly, sharing technical data, and working together to guarantee crew safety.
• ✅ Structured cooperation on station deorbiting: While NASA has announced the ISS program will end around 2030, joint planning is underway to ensure a controlled deorbit of the station. Russia will participate in these discussions, and SpaceX has already been tasked with developing a space tug vehicle for this complex maneuver.

This agreement comes at a critical time: several ISS modules—particularly on the Russian side—are showing signs of advanced aging, with microcracks and air leaks detected over the years. Nonetheless, the decision to extend the station’s use until 2028 will allow scientific research in microgravity to continue and help prepare the transition to new space platforms.

Why Keep the ISS Operating So Long?

Since its first module was launched in 1998, the International Space Station has become one of the most valuable scientific laboratories in Earth orbit. Maintaining its operations until 2028 is not just a matter of diplomacy—it is also a strategic necessity for science, technology, and the preparation of future crewed space missions.

A Unique Microgravity Laboratory

In the ISS’s weightless environment, scientists can conduct experiments impossible to replicate on Earth. These studies cover a wide range of fields—physics, biology, materials science, and medicine—and produce results with both space and terrestrial applications.

Would you like me to also translate and complete the « Unique Microgravity Laboratory » section into English so it matches the full French article style?

The ISS enables experiments that are impossible to carry out on Earth, in fields as varied as:

• Medicine (studying aging, muscle atrophy, and cellular behavior)
• Fundamental physics (fluid dynamics, combustion, radiation)
• Biology (growing plants in orbit, microbiology)
• Materials science

An Earth Observation Platform

From the ISS, astronauts and onboard instruments can observe our planet from a unique vantage point, making it possible to study:

• Extreme weather events
• The impact of climate change
• The evolution of polar ice
• Volcanic eruptions and wildfires

A Stepping Stone to Deep Space Exploration

The station also serves as an essential testing ground for future missions to the Moon and Mars, enabling:

• Long-duration astronaut training
• Testing of life-support systems
• Validation of medical procedures and protocols

Extending the ISS through 2028 therefore gives space agencies more time to transfer their expertise and technologies to future stations—whether lunar or privately operated.

Toward the End of the ISS: Deorbiting, Space Tug, and Future Alternatives

Despite this extension to 2028, the ISS is nearing the end of its operational life. After more than 25 years in orbit, the station is showing signs of structural fatigue—particularly in the Russian modules. Partner agencies acknowledge that operating beyond 2030 would no longer be viable or safe.

A Planned Deorbit Around 2030

NASA has confirmed its intention to safely deorbit the station by 2030. To that end, the U.S. agency has awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to develop a space tug capable of guiding the ISS into a controlled atmospheric reentry, targeting a safe disintegration over the South Pacific. Roscosmos will participate in coordinating this complex operation.

Preparing the Successors

Several alternative projects are already underway to ensure continuity of activity in low Earth orbit (LEO):

• U.S. Commercial Stations: NASA is supporting the development of private stations, including projects from Blue Origin, Axiom Space, and Voyager Space (Starlab).
• ROSS (Russian Orbital Service Station): Russia aims to launch its own station in 2028, though that timeline appears optimistic.
• China’s Tiangong Space Station: Not part of the ISS program but undergoing rapid expansion.

The gradual retirement of the ISS will mark a historic transition toward a multipolar space environment, where major powers—and private actors—will operate their own stations.

A Space Station Between Two Worlds

Despite tensions on Earth, the ISS remains a rare symbol of international cooperation. Russians, Americans, Europeans, and other partners work together every day, 400 km above the planet. More than a technical feat, it is a human adventure that transcends borders. At a time when national and private stations are multiplying, the ISS serves as a reminder that shared exploration is still possible—and invaluable.

The joint announcement by NASA and Roscosmos extending cooperation on the ISS until 2028 is far more than a simple administrative decision. It is a statement of intent—to continue making space a place for scientific collaboration beyond earthly divisions. By keeping this iconic station operational for a few more years, the major space powers are buying valuable time to plan the transition to the post-ISS era, while preserving the spirit of partnership that has defined its success. At the dawn of a new era—marked by private stations, lunar ambitions, and strategic rivalries—the ISS stands as a final beacon from a time when humanity built, together in orbit, a shared future.

Source

See an article published by Reuters on July 29, 2025 [here], another on August 1, 2025 [here], and an article published by the Russian news agency TASS here.