The US plan, the paper said, involves privatizing the ISS, a low-orbit space station piloted by the US space agency NASA and developed jointly with its Russian counterpart. The station has allowed international crews -- notably in collaboration with the Canadian, European and Japanese space agencies -- to pursue scientific research in the environment of a low Earth orbit. To ensure a smooth transition, the White House would ask the private sector to provide market analyses and development plans, the Post reported. The United States has already spent some $100 billion to launch, operate and support the orbital station. It was not clear, however, how private companies might profit from taking over the aging station -- its first section was launched in 1998.

Source: The Nation Bangkok February 11, 2018 23:03 UTC