Roscosmos’ Perminov Sees Commercial Future for ISS

The Expedition 19 crew participates in a toast aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA TV

Interfax quotes Roscomos Head Anatoly Perminov as saying that the International Space Station could be transferred to private hands in 2020 if the facility’s international partners can make a breakthrough toward sending humans to Mars.

“In 10 year, when the ISS becomes a powerful and home-like orbital outpost, the station could be used by commercial companies,” Perminov said during the International Economical Forum in St. Petersburg. “There is no need to deorbit the fully-operational station.”

Privatizing the station is dependent on progress in getting to Mars The key to that goal is nuclear propulsion, Baltinfo reports:

According to Perminov, new engines are needed to reach long-distant destinations in space. Nuclear power can make the speed 20 times higher, thus providing the opportunity to reach Mars in 1-1.5 months. Designers of several countries could develop the propulsion and the vehicle in about 10 years, Perminov stated.

Russia recently announced a plan to build a nuclear engine to facility trips to Mars.