June 28, 2024 – SpaceX Wins Lucrative NASA Contract to Safely Deorbit the Aging International Space Station into the Pacific Ocean
In a significant milestone for space debris management, SpaceX has been awarded a lucrative $843 million contract by NASA to oversee the safe deorbiting of the 24-year-old International Space Station (ISS) into the Pacific Ocean.
The mammoth space station, boasting a length of 110 meters, a width of 88 meters, and a total mass of over 400 tons, has played a pivotal role in human space exploration. However, with its decommissioning date looming in 2030, the challenge of safely disposing of this space giant has come to the forefront.
NASA has entrusted SpaceX with the responsibility of utilizing its “deorbit vehicle” to guide the ISS into the Pacific Ocean, minimizing any potential threats to ground populations. SpaceX will develop a specialized spacecraft that will gradually lower the ISS’s altitude from its current 260-mile orbit, utilizing natural drag and engine thrust. Eventually, under the guidance of the deorbit vehicle, the space station will safely traverse the Earth’s atmosphere, with its debris expected to land in the southern Pacific Ocean.
This mission presents a significant challenge for SpaceX, as neither its existing Dragon spacecraft nor Starship are suitable for the task. Substantial modifications or a new, tailor-made spacecraft may be required to ensure a smooth and safe deorbiting process.
Despite the ISS’s decommissioning date still several years away, SpaceX’s deorbit vehicle stands ready to launch at any time, should any unexpected issues arise with the space station. NASA has emphasized the importance of safely and controllably deorbiting the ISS, emphasizing the need to avoid risks to densely populated areas.
