NASA and SpaceX's Plan to Safely Decommission the ISS
All you need to know as NASA prepares to blast iconic space station into ocean graveyard

Image: Dailystar Co Uk
NASA is preparing to decommission the International Space Station (ISS) by guiding it into the Pacific Ocean's 'Spaceship Graveyard' to prevent a catastrophic uncontrolled re-entry. The operation, involving a $1 billion contract with SpaceX, aims for completion by 2030.
- 01The ISS, valued at $100 billion, is set for a controlled descent to prevent global disaster due to its ageing structure.
- 02NASA has contracted SpaceX to develop a modified Crew Dragon capsule to push the ISS out of orbit, requiring nine tonnes of fuel.
- 03The designated crash site is Point Nemo, the most remote area from human life, to minimize risk to populations.
- 04The final crew will leave the ISS in 2030, after which the SpaceX tug will execute a series of burns to guide the station's descent.
- 05Up to 100 tonnes of debris may survive re-entry, but the controlled crash aims to avoid incidents like the 1979 Skylab disaster.
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NASA is making plans to safely decommission the International Space Station (ISS), which has been in orbit for over 25 years and is facing safety concerns, including a recent gas leak that nearly led to an emergency evacuation. The ISS, weighing approximately 450,000 kg and valued at $100 billion, is expected to begin its final descent towards Earth as early as 2028. To prevent an uncontrolled re-entry that could rain debris on populated areas, NASA has designated Point Nemo in the Pacific Ocean as the crash site, known as the 'Spaceship Graveyard.' This operation requires nine tonnes of fuel, prompting NASA to award SpaceX a $1 billion contract to modify a Crew Dragon capsule to serve as a powerful tugboat. The final crew will depart the ISS in 2030, and the SpaceX tug will then initiate a series of controlled burns to guide the station into the ocean. Although some debris may survive the descent, this controlled approach aims to prevent a repeat of the Skylab disaster in 1979, which scattered wreckage over Australia.
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