SpaceX has been chosen to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in 2031, marking the end of an era for the sprawling laboratory. The station, launched in 1998, will be guided into a controlled reentry over the South Pacific Ocean, with some debris expected to survive. The decision follows NASA’s rejection of other options, including bringing the station back to Earth or handing it over to private companies.
NASA has awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to safely deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) after its operational life ends in 2030. SpaceX’s deorbit vehicle will drag the ISS back to Earth, where it will burn up in the atmosphere and crash into the ocean. This decision marks the end of an era for the ISS, a symbol of global cooperation in space exploration, and paves the way for future commercial space stations.
NASA has awarded SpaceX a $843 million contract to build a ‘space tug’ that will be used to safely deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030. This marks a significant step in the future of space exploration, as the ISS nears the end of its operational life and private space stations are expected to take its place. The space tug, officially known as the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), will guide the ISS to a designated location in the Pacific Ocean, where it will burn up upon reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
