NASA has officially selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, which will be responsible for safely deorbiting and destroying the International Space Station by 2030.

This decision marks the end of an era for the ISS, which has been continuously occupied by international crews since November 2000.

Let's take a look at the background and history of the International Space Station.

The ISS was first launched in 1998 and has been occupied by astronauts from the U.S., Japan, Russia, Canada, and Europe since 2000. The station has facilitated over 3,300 scientific experiments in low Earth orbit.

Despite its achievements, the ISS is showing signs of aging, with technical faults and leaks causing issues for crews.

Now, let's explore the deorbiting process and the associated risks.

SpaceX's deorbit vehicle will drag the ISS out of its orbit and guide it to a controlled reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, where it will burn up at a speed of over 17,000 mph.

The station will likely land in a designated crash site in the ocean. However, the deorbiting process poses risks, including the potential for large debris to survive reentry and endanger populated areas.

Let's delve into the cost and contract details of this mission.

The contract with SpaceX has a potential value of $843 million, significantly lower than initial estimates of nearly $1 billion.

The exact extent of the financial and technical involvement of other space agencies in the deorbiting process is unclear.

What does the future hold for space exploration after the ISS?

NASA is transitioning to commercially owned space destinations, with Axiom Space and Blue Origin developing new orbiting facilities.

The agency is focusing on the Artemis Program and the Gateway Station in lunar orbit.

"This decision also supports NASA's plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth." Ken Bowersox, 2024

Finally, let's review the timeline of key events related to the ISS and its deorbiting.

1998: The first parts of the ISS were launched.

2000: The ISS was first occupied by international crews.

2020: NASA awarded Axiom Space a contract to manufacture the station's first commercial module, Hab One, scheduled to be launched in 2026.

2024: NASA selects SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle.

2030: The ISS is expected to be deorbited and destroyed.