The United States is expanding its cooperation with the International Space Station

US participation in activitiesIS It was funded only through 2024, and budget estimates provided by the Trump administration demanded that all cooperation with the station cease in 2025.

But successionIS by private US space stations will not be secured until the end of the decade, and the decision announced over the weekend will ensure the extension of cooperation until 2030 “uninterrupted transmission” between theIS and new manned stations, watching the edge.

Recently, “Rising tensions between the United States and Russia have threatened the cooperation necessary to work onIS“, note the site.

But this weekend, NASA chief Bill Nelson felt it was “It is more important than ever that the United States continues to stay ahead, by multiplying international alliances and setting norms and standards for the peaceful and responsible use of space.”.

In late November, Russia destroyed one of its satellites with missile fire, causing thousands of debris that could do serious damage to the satellite.IS. The incident sparked panic at the station and angered the Americans.

L ‘IS It was jointly developed by the United States and Russia, with the participation of European, Japanese and Canadian space agencies. It costs NASA between $3 billion and $4 billion annually, and represents a global investment of $87 billion for the United States government.

Like transporting American astronauts toISNow offered to billionaire Elon Musk by SpaceX, NASA is relying on the private sector to build its next space stations, preferring to devote its energy and resources to exploring Mars and the Moon.

At the beginning of December, NASA entrusted three companies – Blue Origin, Nanoracks and Northrop Grumman – with the task of designing and developing special stations for commercial use, which could be used by NASA but also by private clients.