NASA Picks SpaceX to Deorbit the ISS

The space agency is enlisting the private firm to build an International Space Station vehicle that will ‘destructively break up’ along with the station when it is retired in 2030.

Thursday, June 27, 2024 at 04:35 PM ET

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After 2030, the International Space Station will be replaced by a collection of commercial space stations built by private companies. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract worth up to $843 million to develop a vehicle responsible for deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) when it is retired in 2030.
The plan involves a controlled reentry of the ISS, with the SpaceX-built vehicle guiding it to break up over a remote section of the Pacific Ocean, ensuring a safe and responsible transition.
This deorbiting effort is part of NASA's broader strategy to transition from operating the ISS to supporting multiple commercial space stations, allowing the agency to shift its focus to deep space missions, such as the Artemis program to the Moon and Mars.

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In its latest collaboration with private industry, NASA has selected the company that will bring the International Space Station (ISS) back to Earth in pieces.

The space agency on Thursday announced it awarded SpaceX a contract, worth up to $843 million, to build a vehicle that will deorbit the space station when it is retired in 2030. At the end of the laboratory’s lifespan, NASA will use the SpaceX-built vehicle to bring it crashing down into a remote section of the Pacific Ocean.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.