MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Roscosmos has reached a decision on orbit inclination and architecture for the future Russian space station, Director General Dmitry Rogozin said on Rossiya-24 television on Saturday.
"We and the Academy of Sciences have already reviewed the main architectural contours of the Russian Orbital Service Station, and have decided on the orbital inclination, which will give us a colossal amount of information," he said. "In principle, we understand what it will consist of and the procedure for launching the main modules into orbit. Our minds are already living in that future."
Rogozin said the work of the ISS is now fading into the background for Russia, but until 2024 the station will definitely perform its functions in orbit. "The ISS will work exactly as long as the Russian side needs to work on it," he said. "There are technical problems. The station has been operating beyond its lifespan for a long time. We have a government decision that we are working until 2024."
Earlier, the Roscosmos chief said that the ROSS will be able to receive long-term expeditions, but will generally work in an autonomous mode.
On May 26, the preliminary design of the Russian Orbital Service Station was considered, including the inclination of the orbit. Two options had been proposed: a high-latitude station or a station that will continue to operate in the orbit where the ISS is currently located by separating the Russian segment from the rest of the ISS.