NASA, ESA, CSA, and JAXA Commit To ISS Operations Through 2030

NASA and its three Western partners, Canada, Europe, and Japan, confirmed plans to extend ISS operations through 2030 during a recent panel session at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference. The decision comes after Canada, the final partner, officially confirmed its commitment to the extension in March of this year.

“Our plan is that we’re going to go to the end of the decade,” said Joel Montalbano, NASA ISS program manager. “We’re not going to slow down and slide into the end of the decade. We’re running full steam to the end of 2030.” - Joel Montalbano, NASA ISS Program Manager

The announcement during the conference stands in stark contrast to the previous year when there were concerns that Russia might exit the ISS partnership as early as 2024.

Yuri Borisov, head of Roscosmos, and other Russian officials have softened their stance, and in April, Roscosmos announced its commitment to continuing ISS operations until 2028. The extension to 2028, rather than 2030, is attributed to Roscosmos' planning cycles, which operate in four-year increments. As 2028 approaches, international partners will collaborate to determine the next steps for the ISS.

The ISS still faces challenges, primarily related to technical and budgetary constraints.

“There is a huge backlog of R&D. We should look to maximize our ISS research and meet the growing demand...The marginal cost of these investments will provide an overwhelming increase in our science returns.” - John Mulholland, Boeing's Vice President and ISS Program Manager

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), which is one of the station's most substantial experiments used to study cosmic radiation is being considered for an upgrade. The proposed upgrade would significantly boost the instrument's scientific capabilities but would necessitate an entire cargo flight to deliver the equipment to the ISS. Investments like these must be carefully evaluated against the backdrop of the planned ISS retirement in 2030. 

One critical aspect that requires funding is the construction of a deorbit vehicle, which would facilitate the safe disposal of the ISS at the end of its operational life.

NASA has requested $180 million for this vehicle in its fiscal year 2024 budget, with projected spending reaching up to $1 billion during its development.

ISS operations could be extended beyond 2030, but with the age of the stations modules coming up to there best before use dates from there manufatures, raises concerns on crew safety the longer operations are extended.

“We’ll be ready to go longer if that’s what the different agencies want us to do, but right now we’re planning to 2030...Do we go to 2030 or does it make sense to go longer? If so, we’ll work that together with all the different space agencies and their respective governments.” - Joel Montalbano, NASA ISS Program Manager