ISS after 2020 Part 1

The question naturally arises: where will fly cosmonauts after 2020? Because manned flights into orbit this is the cornerstone of the space industry, without which it qualitative measurement takes place somewhere between China and India. Nothing "manned" after 2020, the year in the space plans are not really visible, and so, apparently, everything will go back to the orbital "jumps" nursing "Unions" that lasted no more than a week, as it was in 1960ies.

As for future space projects, they are reduced to that benefit at the expense, all mankind, built by forces two systems: protecting the Earth from asteroids and near earth space cleaning from manmade debris. However, there is still some mumbling about the base on the moon, but that's after 2030.

Hence the conclusion that the initiative laid not so much the desire to move forward the space program, how much the intention to give a "slap" to America, which put forward the idea of extending the flight to the international complex until 2024, the year against which initially objected.

And that's not to mention the fact that without "Unions" no man until the station gets. But Deputy Prime Minister wisely chose not to touch this question, because the 2020 year the US has almost 100 percent guarantee will be at least three new types of spacecraft, including the two "private" (CST 100 Boeing company, Dragon company Space X) and one "public" (Orion, developed by Lockheed Martin in cooperation with the European Airbus).

A bit of history

Originally the ISS was designed for a 15 year service life, that is the same as flying the "World". Its fifteenth anniversary international complex noted in November 2013, for its first element was launched into orbit in November 1998.

However, in 2010, NASA, in coordination with other partners in the station, has decided to extend the flight of the ISS until 2020. And in January 2014, US President Barack Obama has supported the idea to use the station in orbit until 2024. However, it was NASA's intention to continue to operate the ISS until 2028.

And what of NASA?

It is not necessary to present the situation as if the United States at the beginning of the next decade will be interplanetary manned systems, which will fly astronauts on new vehicles for NASA. Work on such systems is conducted, but in reality they are unlikely to travel to deep space (beyond lunar orbit) by 2025.

In fact, the United States and considered the option of use of the ISS until 2024. Station a magnificent simulator for giant sector space industry (including training people to fly), which provides manned space activities. Without this "simulator" this sector will quickly lose its shape.

However, the United States will be an innovative activity in extraterrestrial space in the time interval between completion of MS and start flying interplanetary spacecraft. You will need to bring to mind during the flight operation the already mentioned three new types of spacecraft. It would be better to do when flying to the station, but the mode of free flight suitable for testing.

This famous wisdom applicable to NASA. At the end of last week, "the inspector General's Office" (the Supervisory body of the Agency) published a report entitled "Renewal of operating the International space station until 2024". As it turned out, this renewal is not a cheap thing.

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