At some point this space station will wear out and there needs to be a follow-on space station...What we’re hoping for is that the private sector picks that up.
This was part of a larger story about Russia's interest in
funding the International Space Station (ISS) through 2024 and working with the
U.S. on a successor to the ISS. Russia
has been very fickle in its discussions about a space station, no doubt driven by
funding worries due to a struggling economy.
Given SpaceX's innovative ideas and new products, it is only
a matter of time before it is approached to design a new space station. However, one wonders if Mr. Musk is more
interested in bigger fish at this point, such as colonizing Mars.
And if the Russians are looking for a space station partner,
the Chinese could be a good bet. China
plans to launch a second space station into orbit next year.
