Everyone keeps asking if the Russians are going to re-claim their modules. The thing is, their modules are already past their intended lifespan. They are leaky and problematic as it is. The entire ISS ether needs to be de-orbited, or refurbished entirely. A solution would be for a private entity, one that intends to do tourism in space, to start building new modules, and slowly start replacing the older, used-up modules. Consider that Musk was willing to buy *twitter* for $44 Billion. For that same money, you could buy the ISS outright and turn it into a space hotel.
This run down hotel needs about another $50 Billion in maintenance though. You need to replace modules and you need to boost it every so often. *If* SLS or Starship could ever get off the pad, we have enough heavy lift capability to do both of these things. There's also Neutron coming, but that could not lift a rigid module, but it could lift those inflatable modules they keep talking about.
I think it would be interesting to have a Russian Space Station, a Chinese one and an American one -- because apparently, as we have seen before, tribal competition appears to be a good thing. For example, Congress right now, is very hesitant to spend more than a few dimes to get us back to the moon. But if there were ample evidence that the Chinese were a couple of years away from a manned landing there, politicians would be falling over themselves to make sure we got back there first.
