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.