Russian space agency going it alone

 

A model of Russia’s orbital space station. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

 

The Russian space agency has unveiled a physical model of what a planned Russian-built space station will look like, suggesting Moscow is serious about abandoning the International Space Station (ISS) and going it alone.

Russia wants to reduce its dependency on western countries and forge ahead on its own, or cooperate with countries such as China and Iran, after sanctions were imposed by the west as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

Roscosmos presented a model of the space station, nicknamed “Ross” by Russian state media, on Monday at a military-industrial exhibition outside Moscow.