Russian Orbital Station

In April 2021, Roscosmos officials announced plans to possibly exit from the International Space Station programme after 2024, stating concerns about the condition of its aging modules. On 26 July 2022, Roscosmos announced that the decision had been made to withdraw from the ISS programme after 2024.^[6] A new space station, named Russian Orbital Space Station, operated entirely by Roscosmos, would be launched starting in the mid-2020s.^[7][8][9]

In December 2024, Roscosmos head Yury Borisov stated crewed flights to the ROS would be launched starting in 2028, simultaneously with the completion of the ISS programme as coordinated with NASA.^[10]

ROS was originally planned to operate at a 400 km (250 mi) high, Sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of about 98 degrees, which allowed remote sensing observations of the Arctic region,^[11] and conduct more medical and physiological experiments than those currently feasible on the Russian Orbital Segment of the ISS.^[12] Since December 2025, this has now changed back to a 51.6-degree orbit after it was decided to be built from the ISS instead, which it will later share the same orbital plane as India's own Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2040.^[13]

ROS is envisioned to include up to seven modules, with 2035 being the targeted completion deadline. The first phase of construction will consist of four modules: Nauka, Universal Node Module (UUM), Science Power Module (NEM), and the gateway airlock module.^[14] Nauka, launched and docked to the ISS in 2021, will be repurposed as a core ROS module. NEM, initially intended to be launched to the ISS in 2024, will be refitted on the ground to prepare the module for its new role as part of ROS. A base module, build from an upgraded second NEM, was included in previous plans in place of Nauka and is still expected to be added to the station at some point. The second phase will include two "target" modules for logistics and research.^[15] A commercial module for up to four space tourists was under consideration in previous plans.^[8]

Internal RKK Energia documents obtained by Scientific American in December 2025 laid out the following timeline:^[14]

• 2028 – Prichal is undocked from Nauka and deorbited.
• Late 2028 – UUM is launched on a Soyuz-2.1b from Baikonur and docked to Nauka in Prichal's place.^[16]
• 2029 – NEM is launched on a Proton-M from Baikonur and docked to UUM's lower port.
• 2030 – Gateway/Airlock Module (ShM) is launched on a Soyuz-2.1b from Baikonur and docked to UUM's side port.^[16]

The core ROS modules–Nauka, UUM, NEM, and ShM—would separate from the ISS at this point and operate as an independent space station, using specially modified Progress spacecraft for station-keeping.^[14]

The NEM-derived base module is expected to be launched on an Angara A5M from Vostochny.^[16] The two "target" modules are expected to be launched by 2033,^[17] also on the Angara A5M.^[16] The full assembly plan for ROS was publicly presented by Roscosmos and RKK Energia on 8 April 2026.^[18]

There are plans for "multiple robotic systems on the exterior of the outpost to help with assembly and maintenance work".^[3] The station is also planned to control "a family of small spacecraft" (satellites) to be launched directly from the station and "circl[ing] the globe in its vicinity", which would be a space first.^[19][20] A dedicated spaceplane was also proposed for their in-orbit maintenance.^[20]

In contrast to the continuously crewed ISS, ROS will be visited by cosmonaut crews periodically, operating in automatic mode most of the time. During their stays, cosmonauts will install new components, check scientific equipment, conduct experiments and perform maintenance and repair tasks. Roscosmos cites not only financial, but also safety reasons for this, "as it reduces the risk of cosmonauts receiving dangerous radiation doses".^[21]

• List of space stations