Russia Proposes Space Station Sinking

Age International Space Station (ISS) live 9 years longer, or until 2020. Now start up the confusion about what the future should be made ​​to the ISS. Should be left in space and to "garbage"?

Vitaly Davydov of Russia's space agency, Roskosmos, said the ISS should be drowned. "Having completed its function, we will ask drownings ISS. ISS could not remain in orbit, too complex, too heavy, and become space junk," Davydov said.

Space junk would be a big problem. Some time ago, space junk crashed into the ISS and almost forced the astronauts who were on duty on board the rescue shelter. If allowed, then the space garbage can also be a nuisance to the next space mission.

Proposed Russian ISS drown actually not surprising. Because the Russians had drowned Space Station Mir investment results to the Pacific in 2001. So far, there has been no response, including from the United States, relating to the proposal.

In addition to proposing drownings ISS, Davydov also said that it is not clear whether the space station will still be needed. But given the mission to explore the universe more deeply, the space station might be used as a component manufacturing base to help other missions.

This month, Russia's Soyuz to declare the beginning of an era with the end of NASA's space shuttle mission. Russia also announced that the Soyuz currently available will be replaced by a more capable aircraft. Flight tests of the new Soyuz will be held in 2015.