Washington: Just a short while ago, NASA awarded Elon Musk’s SpaceX a whopping $843 million contract! This deal paves the way for the safe retirement of the International Space Station (ISS) after its operational life ends in 2030.
Under the agreement, SpaceX will design and build a special spacecraft called the Deorbit Vehicle. This critical piece of equipment will be responsible for carefully guiding the massive ISS, weighing in at around 430 tons, back to Earth’s atmosphere for a controlled re-entry.
Launched in the 1980s with parts assembled in space, the ISS has served as a beacon of international collaboration in space exploration for over two decades. However, all good things must come to an end.
Here’s why this decommissioning is important: If left uncontrolled after its retirement, the ISS could turn into a giant piece of space junk, potentially falling back to Earth in an unpredictable way and posing a risk to populated areas.
Thankfully, that won’t be happening. Since its inception in 1998, the ISS has been a joint effort between five space agencies: NASA (US), CSA (Canada), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and Roscosmos (Russia). All five partners are committed to a safe and responsible decommissioning process, and this SpaceX contract is a major step forward.
The ISS currently orbits Earth at an altitude of roughly 400 kilometers, circling the globe every 90 minutes. Soon, thanks to SpaceX’s Deorbit Vehicle, this marvel of international cooperation will be guided to a safe and planned re-entry, ensuring a smooth conclusion to its historic mission.
