MOSCOW, November 9. /TASS/. The International Space Station (ISS) will operate at least until 2027-2028, Roscosmos Executive Director for Manned Space Programs Sergey Krikalyov said on Tuesday.

"The station will be operational at least until 2027-2028 and this operation should be maximally advantageous," the Roscosmos official said at the 22nd scientific and technical conference of scientists and specialists devoted to the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first ever human space flight and the 75th anniversary of the domestic space industry and the Energia Space Rocket Corporation.

The launch of the Russian Nauka multi-purpose research lab and the Prichal nodal module do not mean the completion of the ISS development, he pointed out.

"We have various projects and conceptual designs that must be carried out and we must explore various options, including the option of using the current station for creating a new-generation orbital outpost," he said.

Roscosmos Chief Dmitry Rogozin said in late July that two proposals were on the table to create a new orbital station. One option envisaged creating a Russian national station by way of building up the ISS Russian segment and subsequently detaching it and keeping it in the same orbit. The other option stipulated building a new Russian orbital service station using the available research and power module as its basis. This station would operate in near-polar orbit at an inclination of 97-98 degrees, he specified.