The European Space Agency Chief said that the International Space Station should be opened for astronauts from India and China. A 15-member group have rights to use the International Space Station. India and China were not the members of the group.
Johann-Dietrich Woerner said that they were needed to get away from the principle of being a closed club. The space station is funded through 2020 and an extension until 2024 is under discussion.
An extension would give the U.S. space agency more time to develop the technologies needed for eventual human missions to Mars, the long-term goal of NASA’s human space program.
