NASA Has Awarded SpaceX An $843 Million Contract To Destroy The International Space Station
As the International Space Station (ISS) approaches the end of its operational life in 2030, NASA is preparing to destroy it in a safe and responsible manner.
The agency announced that SpaceX had been selected for the task of developing a deorbit spacecraft to push the station out of orbit and back down to Earth without risk to populated areas.
NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract worth up to $843 million to carry out the job. While the company will develop the deorbit spacecraft, it will go under NASA ownership once it’s completed. According to NASA’s plans, the deorbit vehicle will pull the space station back to Earth.
After entering the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of over 17,000 miles per hour, the ISS and the deorbit vehicle are expected to break up before landing in a designated crash site in the ocean. The plan ensures that no one on Earth will be harmed by the debris.
“This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth,” Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA’s headquarters in Washington, said.
The first parts of the space station were launched in 1998. Since 2000, it has been occupied by astronauts from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Russia, and Japan.
They have conducted more than 3,300 scientific experiments while floating in a close orbit above Earth. The orbital laboratory is getting up there in years, though.
Crews have had to deal with issues such as technical faults and leaks. Additionally, the contracts between the five participating space agencies will expire by 2030. Russia has committed to continue operations of the station until at least 2028.
Each agency is responsible for managing the station. Its operations rely on efforts from across the partnership. The partnership between these countries also marked an era of cooperation in space ventures after the end of the Cold War.
dimazel – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Furthermore, the growing problem of space junk threatens the safety of the ISS. Orbital debris whipping around Earth at high speeds has forced astronauts to take cover.
For instance, on June 27, nine astronauts had to seek shelter in the Boeing Starliner crew capsule when hundreds of pieces of debris from a defunct Russian satellite put their safety at risk. After about an hour, the crew was able to return to the ISS and continue as normal.
The exact date of when the ISS will come crashing down to Earth is unclear. Its end date is in 2030, but NASA plans to operate the station through 2030.
Work at the ISS will likely persist until commercial space stations replace it, including Axiom Space’s Axiom Station and the Orbital Reef by Blue Origin and Sierra Space. They will emerge as replacements by the end of the decade.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:News
