NASA, SpaceX Share Details on Plan to Destroy ISS

No existing spacecraft meets the propulsive needs of the U.S. deorbit vehicle, which will bring the International Space Station back to Earth.

Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 05:01 PM ET

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SpaceX will design and build the deorbit vehicle that brings the International Space Station home in pieces. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA and SpaceX detailed plans to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030, with a controlled splashdown in 2031 into a remote ocean area.
SpaceX will build the Deorbit Vehicle (DV), a heavily modified and enlarged version of its Cargo Dragon spacecraft, costing an estimated $750 million for its construction.
NASA needs to secure approximately $1.5 billion to cover the DV, launch vehicle, and mission operations, and will manage the DV's deployment and final burn.
The mission is designed to coincide with the launch of new commercial space stations, transitioning NASA into a customer role within a commercial space ecosystem.

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On Wednesday, officials from NASA and SpaceX shared new details on their plan to deorbit and dismantle the International Space Station (ISS) at the end of the decade.

NASA in June awarded SpaceX a contract, worth up to $843 million, to design and build the U.S. deorbit vehicle (DV) that will drag the massive laboratory to its final resting place in a remote section of the ocean. No existing spacecraft has the capabilities required to complete the mission.

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.