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Russia maintains operations aboard orbital outpost, says Roscosmos

"We continue working aboard the ISS and continue working in international cooperation and, naturally, we are looking further ahead," Roscosmos Executive Director for Manned Space Programs Sergey Krikalyov said

MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/. Russia continues working aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the orbital outpost is in good condition, Roscosmos Executive Director for Manned Space Programs Sergey Krikalyov said on Thursday.

"We continue working aboard the ISS and continue working in international cooperation and, naturally, we are looking further ahead," the Russian space agency official said at the Knowledge About Heroes educational forum.

The ISS had an original service life of 15 years, Krikalyov recalled.

"These 15 years have passed, the station keeps flying and is in good condition. However, no matter how long it flies, there will still be a new program and a new station. In order to continue operating in a low near-Earth orbit, Russia is beginning work on a project for a new low-orbit station," he added.

The Roscosmos executive also disclosed plans for Russia’s space exploration in the coming decades.

"The Americans, Europeans and we are looking at new flight programs beyond near-Earth orbit. Our closest neighbor is the Moon. This implies a flight beyond the near-Earth orbit: at first, into near-Moon space and then, perhaps, landing on the Moon and construction of a lunar base. Eventually, perhaps, there will be flights to asteroids and Mars but these are quite long-term programs," he said.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov earlier said that Russia deemed it possible to extend the operation of the ISS Russian segment to 2028 until Russia deployed a national orbital station in its minimal configuration.

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