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Japan to extend involvement with ISS to 2030, send astronaut to Moon-orbiting station

A possibility for a Japanese astronaut to land on the Moon is to be determined through consultations in the future

TOKYO, November 18. /TASS/. Japan plans to extend its involvement with the International Space Station until 2030 and send an astronaut to a future US-led Moon-orbiting station, Keiko Nagaoka, Japan’s minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, said on Friday, the Kyodo news service reported.

She made the statement, which makes Japan the first country to support the US decision to extend the operation of the US segment of the ISS to 2030, during an online meeting with Bill Nelson, the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Roscosmos Executive Director Sergey Krikalyov has said the future of the orbital outpost remains unclear but talks are underway to extend its operation after 2024. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said earlier that Russia considered it possible to operate the station until 2028.

Nagaoka and Nelson signed an agreement during their online meeting to send a Japanese astronaut to Gateway, a US-led lunar-orbiting space station to be built by the end of 2028. In exchange, Tokyo will provide logistic transport to the station.

A possibility for a Japanese astronaut to land on the Moon is to be determined through consultations in the future.

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