ISS can live for 13 years

The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskomos) announced yesterday that the operation time of the International Space Station (ISS) could be extended for many years.

International Space Station.

Under the plan, ISS will cease operation in 2015, but its partners - including the US, Russia, the European Union, Japan and Canada - have agreed to extend its operational period to after the year. 2020, RIA Novosti said.

"Officials now ask experts to try to extend ISS operations until 2028," said Alexei Krasnov, director of Roskomos' human-powered spacecraft launch programs, speaking at a conference on the universe. in Russia.

Mr Krasnov said the ISS could be used as a launch station for experimental spacecraft and satellites.

"We can launch small satellites from the ISS to various locations around the world," Krasnov said.

Earlier, the US Aerospace Agency (NASA) had the idea of ​​turning ISS into a transit station for people to fly to Mars in the future. In addition, US officials said that ISS could be used to test astronaut support technologies in the universe.