Russia and U.S. Agree to Extend ISS Operations Through 2030

July 15, 2026 The International Space Station. NASA Russia and the United States have agreed to extend joint operations of the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov announced Tuesday evening. While NASA had previously assessed that the ISS could safely function through 2030, Bakanov had said as recently as last August that he and U.S. officials had agreed to run the station only until 2028 before beginning de-orbiting procedures. Established in 1998, the ISS’s original operational lifespan was targeted to end in 2024. The latest extension came shortly after a Russian Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS. The spacecraft, which launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan earlier on Tuesday, carried Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who traveled to Baikonur to observe the launch, said that the ISS extension talks also touched on developing shared technical standards that both Russia and the United States could eventually apply to their own future space stations. The Moscow Times contacted NASA for comment. The office of Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, who also met with Isaacman at Baikonur, said that Russia and the United States have worked out a joint program to wind down the station’s flights in late 2030. While the ISS has long served as a rare symbol of U.S.-Russian cooperation amid mounting geopolitical tensions, relations between NASA and Roscosmos have become strained recently over air leaks aboard the aging station. NASA had told its astronauts on the ISS last month to prepare for a possible emergency evacuation during a disagreement with Roscosmos over how to patch one of the leaks. Russia’s space program, once a source of national pride, has been plagued for years by budget shortages and corruption scandals. Read more about: NASA , ISS , Roscosmos Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia and U.S. Agree to Extend International Space Station Operations to 2028 Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov is visiting the U.S. this week and is expected to meet the Crew-11 mission team ahead of their launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew... 1 Min read Soyuz Rocket Blasts Off to Space With Russian Cosmonauts, NASA Astronaut Onboard the MS-27 craft are Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, as well as NASA astronaut Jonny Kim. 1 Min read U.S., Russian, Belarus ISS Colleagues Return to Earth The Soyuz spacecraft took off from the Baikonur space port in Kazakhstan on March 23 after a two-day delay following a hitch in pre-launch preparations... 2 Min read Russia Retires Legendary Soviet-Designed Space Rocket The Soyuz-U was the largest and oldest version of the Soyuz rocket. It flew 787 missions over 43 years.