U.S. President Barack Obama signed the law allowing NASA to pay Russia for the delivery of U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station.

The law extends the powers of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 1 July 2016 to 31 December 2020 allowing Russia to make payments related to the work on the ISS. This was reported by the press service of the White House. Due to the limited funding the U.S. administration has refused from shuttles program, focusing on the development of space vehicles capable of entering a higher orbit. In order to deliver U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station NASA currently uses the services of the Russian "Soyuz". But it is expected that in the nearest future this function will be taken by the ships built by private American aerospace companies. As for the present, every place on the ISS costs the U.S. government $ 60 million.