ISS doesn't have to be space junk?

The ISS is never going to be more than what it is. The US needs to
curtail its participation and move on. The Ares V should give us the
capability to launch our own instant Skylab-like space stations again
in the near future.

But there really was never a need for a large centralized microgravity
space station, IMO. Multiple small Skylab-like space stations would
make being in orbit much safer and far less expensive because if
anything should happen at one space station then the astronauts could
easily take an OTV to the other nearby space stations.

But I never believed in putting all of your eggs in just one basket.

Marcel F. Williams