1. This Agreement shall remain open for signature by the States listed in the Preamble of this Agreement.

2. This Agreement is subject to ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession. Ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession shall be effected by each State in accordance with its constitutional processes. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession shall be deposited with the Government of the United States, hereby designated as the Depositary.

3. (a) This Agreement shall enter into force on the date on which the last instrument of ratification, acceptance, or approval of Japan, Russia and the United States has been deposited. The Depositary shall notify all signatory States of this Agreement’s entry into force.

(b) This Agreement shall not enter into force for a European Partner State before it enters into force for the European Partner. It shall enter into force for the European Partner after the Depositary receives instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession from at least four European signatory or acceding States, and, in addition, a formal notification by the Chairman of the ESA Council.

(c) Following entry into force of this Agreement for the European Partner, it shall enter into force for any European State listed in the Preamble that has not deposited its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval upon deposit of such instrument. Any ESA Member State not listed in the Preamble may accede to this Agreement by depositing its instrument of accession with the Depositary.

4. Upon entry into force of this Agreement, the 1988 Agreement shall cease to be in force.

5. If this Agreement has not entered into force for a Partner within a period of two years after its signature, the United States may convene a conference of the signatories to this Agreement to consider what steps, including any modifications to this Agreement, are necessary to take account of that circumstance.

Notwithstanding Article 25(3)(a) above, this Agreement shall become operative as between the United States and Russia on the date they have expressed their consent to be bound by depositing their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval. The Depositary shall notify all signatory States if this Agreement becomes operative between the United States and Russia pursuant to this Article.

This Agreement, including its Annex, may be amended by written agreement of the Governments of the Partner States for which this Agreement has entered into force. Amendments to this Agreement, except for those made exclusively to the Annex, shall be subject to ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession by those States in accordance with their respective constitutional processes. Amendments made exclusively to the Annex shall require only a written agreement of the Governments of the Partner States for which this Agreement has entered into force.

1. Any Partner State may withdraw from this Agreement at any time by giving to the Depositary at least one year’s prior written notice. Withdrawal by a European Partner State shall not affect the rights and obligations of the European Partner under this Agreement.

2. If a Partner gives notice of withdrawal from this Agreement, with a view toward ensuring the continuation of the overall program, the Partners shall endeavor to reach agreement concerning the terms and conditions of that Partner’s withdrawal before the effective date of withdrawal.

3. (a) Because Canada’s contribution is an essential part of the Space Station, upon its withdrawal, Canada shall ensure the effective use and operation by the United States of the Canadian elements listed in the Annex. To this end, Canada shall expeditiously provide hardware, drawings, documentation, software, spares, tooling, special test equipment, and/or any other necessary items requested by the United States.

(b) Upon Canada’s notice of withdrawal for any reason, the United States and Canada shall expeditiously negotiate a withdrawal agreement. Assuming that such agreement provides for the transfer to the United States of those elements required for the continuation of the overall program, it shall also provide for the United States to give Canada adequate compensation for such transfer.

4. If a Partner gives notice of withdrawal from this Agreement, its Cooperating Agency shall be deemed to have withdrawn from its corresponding MOU with NASA, effective from the same date as its withdrawal from this Agreement.

5. Withdrawal by any Partner State shall not affect that Partner State’s continuing rights and obligations under Articles 16, 17, and 19, unless otherwise agreed in a withdrawal agreement pursuant to paragraph 2 or 3 above.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

DONE at Washington, this 29th day of January, 1998. The texts of this Agreement in the English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Russian languages shall be equally authentic. A single original text in each language shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the United States. The Depositary shall transmit certified copies to all signatory States. Upon entry into force of this Agreement, the Depositary shall register it pursuant to Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Space Station elements to be provided by the Partners are summarized below and are further elaborated in the MOUs:

1. The Government of Canada, through CSA, shall provide:

— as a Space Station infrastructure element, the Mobile Servicing Center (MSC);

— as an additional flight element, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator; and

— in addition to the flight elements above, Space Station-unique ground elements.

2. The European Governments, through ESA, shall provide:

— as a user element, the European pressurized laboratory (including basic functional outfitting);

— other flight elements to supply and to reboost the Space Station; and

— in addition to the flight elements above, Space Station-unique ground elements.

3. The Government of Japan shall provide:

— as a user element, the Japanese Experiment Module (including basic functional outfitting, as well as the Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Modules);

— other flight elements to supply the Space Station; and

— in addition to the flight elements above, Space Station-unique ground elements.

4. The Government of Russia, through RSA, shall provide:

— Space Station infrastructure elements, including service and other modules;

— as user elements, research modules (including basic functional outfitting) and attached payload accommodation equipment;

— other flight elements to supply and to reboost the Space Station; and

— in addition to the flight elements above, Space Station-unique ground elements.

5. The Government of the United States, through NASA, shall provide:

— Space Station infrastructure elements, including a habitation module;

— as user elements, laboratory modules (including basic functional outfitting), and attached payload accommodation equipment;

— other flight elements to supply the Space Station; and

— in addition to the flight elements above, Space Station-unique ground elements.