Moscow, March 27 : Russia may use future modules of its segment of the International Space Station (ISS) to build its own orbital station, a senior space industry official said. <\/p>\n
Russia is planning to launch four new ISS modules - a multirole laboratory module (MLM), a node module and two science-power modules - by 2020, when the time comes to de-orbit the existing international outpost in space. <\/p>\n
\"If the need arises, we could undock the new modules (from the ISS), starting with the MLM, and they will serve as a foundation for a new generation Russian space station,\" said Alexander Derechin, deputy chief designer for Russia's space corporation RKK Energia. <\/p>\n
The launch of the MLM module is tentatively scheduled for the end of 2013, Derechin added. <\/p>\n
The current ISS project involves NASA, Roscosmos, the Canadian Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and 11 members of the European Space Agency (ESA). <\/p>\n
The participants in the project are discussing the possibility of extending the ISS life until 2028. <\/p>\n
The ISS currently has five Russian-built modules -- the Zvezda service module, the Zarya cargo block, the Pirs docking module, the Poisk (\"Search\") research module and Rassvet (\"Dawn\") research module. <\/p>\n
Russia's space agency Roscosmos announced plans to build a low-orbit space station to support future exploration of the Moon and Mars in 2009. <\/p>\n
--IANS (Posted on 27-03-2013) <\/p>\n
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Continue reading here: Moscow, March 27 : Russia may use future modules of its segment of the International Space Station (ISS) to build its own orbital station, a senior space industry official said. Russia is planning to launch four new ISS modules - a multirole laboratory module (MLM), a node module and two science-power modules - by 2020, when the time comes to de-orbit the existing international outpost in space Continue reading
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