Roscosmos state corporation general director Dmitry Bakanov has stated that the International Space Station cannot exist without Russia and the United States.
Speaking in an interview with Aleksandr Yunashev for the Yunashev Live channel, Bakanov said the two spacefaring nations are unable to operate on the orbital laboratory without one another.
He added that both partners must support each other during orbital missions, noting that in the event of an emergency, only a partner agency is in a position to save a crew member.
Bakanov also expressed optimism about long-term bilateral relations, stating that Moscow and Washington could continue space cooperation even after the space station completes its operational lifespan.
Interdependent operations in Earth orbit
The International Space Station, which orbits Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers, relies on a complex division of labor between its primary operators, NASA and Roscosmos. The orbital research laboratory is split into two main sections: the Russian Orbital Segment and the United States Orbital Segment. Russia provides the propulsion systems required for orbital maneuvering, altitude control, and space debris avoidance, while American systems generate the bulk of the electrical power via solar arrays and maintain primary communication links.
Cross-flights and future space cooperation
Bakanov is not the only Russian space official to suggest joint operations will endure beyond current station commitments. Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov previously expressed hope that Russia and the United States would maintain space cooperation following the eventual retirement and deorbiting of the facility.
Efforts to prolong active operational ties are already underway. In August, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing NASA space station program manager Dana Weigel, that the United States plans to extend its integrated flight agreement with Roscosmos.
The seat-sharing agreement allows American astronauts to fly aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft launched from Baikonur, while Russian cosmonauts fly on US commercial vehicles such as the SpaceX Crew Dragon from Florida. This cross-flight arrangement ensures that at least one Russian cosmonaut and one American astronaut remain on board at all times to maintain critical control systems for their respective segments.
