SpaceX has been awarded an $843 million contract by NASA to decommission the International Space Station (ISS). The plan is to destroy the ISS by sending it crashing through Earth’s atmosphere in a fiery spectacle. This decision comes as the ISS, originally designed to last 15 years, has aged and needs to be safely disposed of by around 2031.
The deorbit vehicle that will be used for this mission will be based on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule design, according to Bill Spetch, operations integration manager for NASA’s ISS Program. While specifics about the deorbit vehicle are not publicly known, SpaceX will have to develop a unique craft to handle this monumental task.
The ISS, a collaborative effort between multiple countries, has been a symbol of international cooperation in space exploration. However, with its time coming to an end, NASA has decided that destroying the station is the safest option. While some have proposed repurposing or relocating the ISS, these options are not practical due to the station’s fragile nature and the challenges of transporting such a massive structure.
The process of deorbiting the ISS will involve lowering its orbit gradually and then using SpaceX’s deorbit vehicle to guide it through Earth’s atmosphere. This controlled descent is crucial to ensure that the station breaks apart safely and that debris falls into the southern Pacific Ocean, away from populated areas.
SpaceX’s role in this mission highlights the company’s growing partnership with NASA in critical space projects. With the success of its crewed missions and the development of powerful rockets, SpaceX is at the forefront of space exploration. The company will need to work quickly to develop the deorbit vehicle for the ISS mission, as the timeline for decommissioning the station approaches.
As the iconic ISS meets its fiery end, it will be a spectacle visible around the world. The controlled deorbit will be a final chapter for the space station, marking the end of an era in space exploration. NASA and SpaceX will be closely monitored as they work to safely dispose of the ISS and ensure that the process is executed flawlessly.
