Russia continues the development of the ROSS space station

While Roscosmos is busy running the business on board the ISS with the problems caused by the failures of the Soyuz MS-22 and Progress MS-21 spacecraft, we look to the future of space operations of the Russia. The space agency is planning future seat swaps with NASA to allow cosmonauts to fly on US spacecraft and vice versa. This is a way to solidify the NASA-Roscosmos collaboration even in the event of future problems with the spacecraft (there is no exchange of money). However, the future is more complex also due to the arrival of ROSSthe Russian orbiting space station.

Several times in the past we have talked about ROSS and how the Russia intend to “break away” from the ISS project. In reality, the question is very smoky and even now it is not clear how its launch will actually take place. In these days RSC Energya state-owned company that deals with the construction of space equipment has published a new tender to define what the future of ROSS.

The Russian space station ROSS and the definition of tasks

Although previously there has been talk of a disengagement of Russia from 2024 for the ISS project, in reality the plan would be more complex and would foresee longer times. The first module of the Russian orbiting space station it should be in orbit in 2027 but even then the nation is unlikely to actually leave the ISS.

We must also consider that this year the project for its construction will be presented which will then have to be completed in the coming years (with possible problems related to the embargoes due to the war in Ukraine). The contract proposed by RSC Energy these days it would instead concern the definition by a third party of how it can be managed and what tasks can be completed within ROSS.

For this reason, the contract has a relatively low value, equal to 9.6 million rubles (about 121,000 euros). It is therefore not an operational phase but one of activity planning. There Russia And Roscosmos they don’t want to find themselves unprepared when they get their own space station without being able to count on the direct help of external partners.

How will it fit ROSS within the new landscape of the space market? What will be the operations to be carried out? What will be its main purpose? These are just some of the questions that those selected for this contract will have to answer. They have been writing about it Russian news agencies (pro-government).

There are some possibilities to allow to support ROSS profitably (or without excessive losses). For example, astronauts from other nations that still have relations with Russia (Belarus and others) could be hosted. Always from space station Cubesats could be released without the need to directly employ space rockets. As we know NASA, JAXA and ESA intend to use the ISS until at least 2030 deorbiting it in 2031. The partners hope that Russia will remain within the project until then so as to share the costs and reduce the complexities of the technical part ( Russian segment modules and Russian spacecraft play key roles).