International Space Station (ISS) — the greatest engineering project of humanity. But it is aging. Its first module "Zarya" was launched in 1998. By 2030, the ISS will most likely be flooded in the Pacific Ocean. What next? Humanity cannot abandon space. New stations will come — commercial, national, international, and then lunar. What will they be like? Who will build them? And why do we need them? The End of the ISS: Time to Say Goodbye The ISS is a wonder of engineering, but it is wearing out. Cracks, air leaks, metal fatigue. Maintaining it is getting more expensive (about 4 billion dollars a year). In 2022, NASA confirmed plans to flood the station after 2030. Roscosmos also agreed (with reservations). Russia plans to withdraw from the ISS project after 2028. China has its own station "Tiangong". The United States wants to move to commercial stations. So the era of the ISS is coming to an end. But new stations are not far off.Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) ROSS is a project for a new Russian station. It is planned to be launched into a high-altitude orbit (inclination 96-98 degrees) to see all of Russia, including the Northern Sea Route. There is no such thing on the ISS. There will be two stages: first the module "Naука-2" (formerly "Naука"), then four more. The station will be visited, not constantly inhabited (resource saving). The launch of the first module is around 2028. ROSS should last until the 2040s. China and India may participate, but so far the project is Russian.Chinese Orbital Station "Tiangong" "Tiangong" (Heavenly Palace) is already operational. Since 2022, it has been in orbit with three modules. China plans to expand the station by adding several more modules, including a telescope. The station is open to international cooperation: there are already experiments from Europe, Pakistan, Kenya. China is also considering the possibility of creating an "international lunar station" (ILRS) with Russia. "Tiangong" will last at least 10 yea ... Read more