Russia's Ambitious Plans for a New Orbital Station Ahead of ISS Decommissioning

Russia to Launch Its Own Orbital Station

Moscow: A senior official from Russia's space agency announced on Monday that the nation will commence the construction of its own orbital station prior to the planned deorbiting of the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030.

Dmitry Bakanov, the CEO of Roscosmos State Space Corporation, revealed in an interview with a state news agency that the first module of the Russian Orbital Station (ROS) is set to be launched in 2028.

This week, Russia is celebrating Space Week, marking the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic flight, the first human space journey, which took place on April 12, 1961.

Bakanov stated, "In 2028, based on the latest agreement with NASA, we will finalize our work on the ISS and aim to complete its deorbiting by 2030. The Russian Orbital Station (ROS) is expected to be launched around this time, establishing a fully operational national station in orbit for our experiments."

He emphasized the necessity of coordinating the end of ISS operations with the launch of the ROS.

In December 2025, Denis Manturov, Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister, announced that the orbital inclination for the ROS has been set at 51.6 degrees, aligning it with the orbit of the ISS.

The ISS, a collaborative effort involving NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA, was constructed over 27 years, beginning with the launch of its first Russian segment, Zarya, on November 20, 1998. Plans are in place for its deorbiting in 2030, with the intention of sinking it in the Pacific Ocean, according to Roscosmos.