NASA has chosen SpaceX to lead the retirement of the International Space Station (ISS) after more than two decades in orbit. Valued at $843 million, SpaceX will develop the US Deorbit Vehicle, a spacecraft designed to safely guide the ISS out of orbit by 2030. This ensures the station re-enters Earth’s atmosphere in a controlled manner, ultimately settling in the Pacific Ocean.
The US Deorbit Vehicle is crucial to prevent any hazards during the ISS’s descent and marks a significant addition to SpaceX’s portfolio. Under the contract terms, SpaceX will handle design and development, leveraging its expertise in spacecraft engineering, while NASA assumes operational control for the deorbiting mission.
Ken Bowersox from NASA highlighted that selecting a US Deorbit Vehicle supports safe transition in low Earth orbit post-ISS, aligning with NASA’s plans for future commercial space exploration. The ISS, a cooperative effort among NASA, CSA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos, has been pivotal in space science and exploration. As its components near end-of-life, the US Deorbit Vehicle will prevent space debris risks, crucial for ongoing and future space missions.
Looking forward, NASA aims to develop commercial space stations post-2030, collaborating with companies like Airbus and Blue Origin, foreseeing a more commercialized low-Earth orbit environment where SpaceX and other private entities will play key roles.
