- The International Space Station will be decommissioned after 2030
- SpaceX will develop a Deorbit Vehicle to bring ISS out of orbit safely
- NASA has awarded the contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars
SpaceX has been awarded a contract by US space agency NASA to develop a vehicle to help deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) when it reaches the end of its operational life in 2030.
Huge contract
The Deborbit Vehicle will help to deorbit the ISS safely and ensure there is no risk to populated areas when it breaks up on re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere. The contract has a potential value of $843 million. A contract to provide the launch service for the Deorbit Vehicle will be procured at some point in the future, according to NASA.
“Selecting a US Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA HQ in Washington.
“This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth.”
Years of missions
While SpaceX will develop the deorbit craft, NASA will take ownership afterwards and operate it during the mission. Along with the ISS, it is expected that the Deorbit Vehicle will destructively break up as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
The ISS has been continuously crewed for 24 years and is a base for crew to undertake scientific experiments across a range of disciplines including biology, human physiology and physical sciences, among others. It is a cornerstone of space commerce, from commercial crew and cargo partnerships to commercial research and national lab research.
