spacetoday.net: Russia considering additional funding for ISS

Posted: Sun, Apr 13, 2003, 10:24 PM ET (0224 GMT)
ISS illustration (NASA)

Russian president Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Russia will consider providing additional support for the International Space Station beyond building additional spacecraft. Putin, speaking on the 42nd anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic flight, said that Russia was committed to building at least one additional Progress spacecraft to ferry cargo to the station. Putin then added that "if necessary, the question of further financial participation will be examined," but did not elaborate. Earlier this month Russian officials said they would allocate additional funding to Rosaviakosmos to permit the construction of additional Progress spacecraft, after efforts to get the United States or other partners to pay for the spacecraft failed. Last week a Progress spacecraft currently docked to the station fired its thrusters to raise the station's orbit by about five kilometers in preparation for the arrival of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying the station's new crew late this month. On Friday, NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) concluded that the use of two-person "caretaker" crews on the station until the shuttle returns to flight would not jeopardize safety.