Stephen Siceloff, a public affairs representative for NASA, informed that the primary focus of upcoming discussions between Dmitry Bakanov, Director General of Roscosmos, and Sean Duffy, Acting Administrator of NASA, will be the decommissioning of the International Space Station (ISS).
Roscosmos`s press service had previously confirmed Bakanov`s arrival in the U.S., where he is scheduled to meet Duffy on July 31st. In addition to these talks, Bakanov is also set to meet with the Crew Dragon spacecraft`s team, which includes Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
Siceloff indicated that while the exact agenda beyond the ISS remains somewhat fluid, he anticipates the central theme will revolve around extensive discussions and numerous agreements concerning the extension of the station`s operational lifespan until 2030, followed by its eventual withdrawal from service. “I believe this will be the main topic,” he stated.
Roscosmos reported that Bakanov visited the American segment`s Mission Control Center for the ISS in Houston on Tuesday. As part of their visit, the Russian delegation also plans to tour Boeing`s production facility, where the reusable crewed spacecraft CST-100 Starliner is being developed, to hold talks with the company`s space program leadership. The visit is scheduled to conclude with a tour of SpaceX`s spacecraft assembly facilities.
Russia has extended the operation of its ISS segment until 2028, while other international partners have expressed a desire to continue operations until 2030. According to the head of Roscosmos, a draft program for the safe deorbiting of the ISS has already been developed, a process expected to take approximately two and a half years.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth