NASA has announced its selection of SpaceX as the contractor to develop a method for deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) from its original orbit after it reaches the end of its operational life in 2030.
The International Space Station began to assemble its first modules in 1998 and has gradually added various components over the years. However, with extended use, the station has started to show signs of aging and wear that require maintenance. This raises the question of how to manage the station moving forward. NASA’s solution is to build a new spacecraft, the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, to safely remove the station from orbit and open up space for future commercial space stations.
SpaceX has been selected to develop this spacecraft with a budget of $843 million. The spacecraft will be owned by NASA and will be intentionally destroyed upon reentry into the atmosphere along with the space station.
Source: NASA, Ars Technia
Image from NASA
TLDR: NASA selects SpaceX to develop a spacecraft to safely deorbit the International Space Station after its lifespan ends in 2030.
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