NASA’s Plans to Deorbit and Land the International Space Station Revealed
In a groundbreaking announcement, NASA has unveiled plans to deorbit and land the International Space Station (ISS), the largest space station ever built. Private companies have been given until February 12 to submit design proposals for a spacecraft that will safely crash the ISS into the ocean. NASA intends to award the contract in June, with the spacecraft set to be deployed in 2030 when the ISS is retired.
The ISS has been occupied by spacefarers from around the world since November 2000, cementing its place in history as a symbol of international collaboration in space exploration. Over 260 spacefarers from 20 different countries, including 163 from the United States, have visited the ISS.
Spanning an area larger than a six-bedroom house, the ISS boasts various facilities for living and conducting experiments. Currently, Expedition 70 is due to land in the spring after conducting scientific experiments and studying microgravity phenomena.
The complex task of decommissioning the ISS falls upon the five space agencies that have operated it since 1998. While all nations, aside from Russia, have committed to supporting ISS operations through 2030, it is NASA that has decided on a controlled re-entry ending in a crash landing into a remote ocean as the safest option.
To carry out this mission, NASA is seeking a private aerospace company to build a deorbiting craft capable of performing a maneuver to align the re-entry path. Once the ISS decommissioning is complete, the United States will shift its focus towards commercial operations and contracted missions.
NASA’s new strategic direction aims to fund and enable private industry to develop commercially-owned-and-operated space stations. By doing so, NASA can concentrate on building spacecraft and rockets specifically designed for deep space missions. However, setbacks have affected NASA’s plans, particularly the Artemis program, which aspires to send astronauts to the moon and Mars.
Artemis II, a mission to circumnavigate the moon, has been pushed back to no earlier than 2025. Additionally, Artemis III, the long-awaited mission to land on the lunar surface, has been delayed until no earlier than 2026. Despite these challenges, NASA remains committed to advancing humanity’s exploration of the cosmos.
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