posted 12-21-2025 05:08 PM               

"The Scientific and Technical Council of Roscosmos supported this proposal and approved the deployment of a Russian orbital station as part of the Russian segment of the ISS," Orlov reportedly said.

Orlov's announcement sheds light on a statement earlier in December from First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on the station's orbit, which now makes more sense. "We've decided on a 51.6-degree inclination angle for our ROS space station," he said. "Previously, we were considering a 96-degree inclination angle." The International Space Station is situated in a 51.6-degree inclination orbit, easily accessible from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Essentially, then, in 2030, the Russian segment of the International Space Station will separate from the American-controlled side.