General Designer of "ROS" Space Station Specifies Its Operational Duration

The general designer of manned complexes and systems in Russia, Vladimir Solovyov, announced that "the operational life of the Russian orbital station (ROS) should be 50 years." At the Earth-Orbit-Deep Space conference, Solovyov stated, "This lifespan is necessary to develop technologies for flights to other planets." He explained that during this period, with the help of ROS, which will be in orbit around Earth, we may be able to innovate the necessary technologies for journeys to other planets in the solar system, starting with Mars. According to him, the lunar vehicle should rely on a reliable transportation system, and the Martian vehicle must be a standard modular station. Such a station "should initially, from the perspective of reliability and operability, be tested in low Earth orbit."