The Trump administration is planning to end funding for the International Space Station (ISS) and turn it into a self-supporting commercial venture, according to a Nasa document obtained by the Washington Post.

Reports have circulated for several weeks that the US government was planning to halt Nasa spending on the programme after 2024 and save up to $4 billion each year.

Supporters fear the rumours and leaks risk deterring other nations from continuing their support for a collaborative effort that launched in 1998 and has welcomed astronauts, cosmonauts and space tourists from 17 countries.

The internal Nasa document suggests that although direct federal money could end, the White House is not planning to abandon the orbiting laboratory altogether but will essentially privatise the effort.

“The decision to end direct federal support for the ISS in 2025 does not imply that the platform itself will be de-orbited at that time – it is possible that industry could continue to operate certain elements or capabilities of the ISS as part of a future commercial platform,” the document states.