The Next Major Race to a New Space Station: Is it going to be China, India or Russia?

- Ishita Gurjalwar

Have you ever wondered why do nations that consider themselves space superpowers do not have their own space station? Why do they always have to run back to the mercy of the United States to operate their missions on the International Space Station? Russia has revived its dreams to compete in the race of being the space superpower.

Recently, the Russian Space Agency has unveiled a physical model of what the Russian Space Station is likely to look like. This points towards the seriousness of Moscow to abandon the International Space Station. Yuri Borisov, the head of the agency asserted that Russia will quit using the ISS post 2024 and will host a successful orbital station. However, it is well known that NASA and Roscosmos are in a partnership in using the station until 2028.

China has huge ambitions in the field of space establishment. It aims at setting up a station by the end of 2022. This station would have its own power, propulsion, life support system and living quarters. The design will also help provide refuelling power to China’s new space telescope called Xuntian which is scheduled to fly close to the space station next year. In a 2018 statement, China has expressed its keenness to collaborate on scientific projects with UN member states.

India wishes to launch its own space station by 2030. This ambitious project is an extension of the Gaganyaan mission. This has been recently proposed by the ISRO chief executive K Sivan. This ensures a promising future for the Indian space future.

The race to the next space station is real and competitive. It's all about who takes the lead!