SpaceX hired to decommission the ISS

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Wins Contract to Dismantle the International Space Station

Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, has been awarded a contract by NASA to dismantle the International Space Station (ISS) as it has reached the end of its operational life.
The $843 million contract was announced on Wednesday, June 26th, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.

The ISS: History and Challenges of Disposing the 430-Ton Space Station

As the ISS prepares for dismantling and reentry to Earth, it is important to reflect on its remarkable history.
Launched in 1998, the ISS has served as a platform for scientific experiments for over 30 years.
Orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes at an altitude just above 400 km, the ISS is a collaborative effort led by the United States and Russia, with support from European, Canadian, and Japanese partners.
This unique space laboratory has been instrumental in conducting a wide range of studies, from human aging processes to materials science.

SpaceX’s Role in Safely Guiding the ISS to the Pacific Ocean

Prior to signing the contract with SpaceX, NASA evaluated various options for the ISS’s disposal.
While considerations included “dismembering” the station or repurposing its components, entrusting a commercial entity with the station’s maintenance posed engineering, legal, and financial challenges.
The specifics of SpaceX’s deorbiting operation are yet to be disclosed, but it will undoubtedly require precise maneuvers to ensure the safe reentry of the massive structure, reminiscent of the size of a football field.

Following the controlled decay of the ISS’s orbit and crew departure, SpaceX will deploy its tugboat-like spacecraft to execute the final deorbiting maneuver.
Selecting an American deorbit vehicle for the ISS demonstrates NASA’s commitment to a secure transition in low Earth orbit operations, paving the way for future commercial ventures and continued utilization of Earth’s immediate space vicinity.

The ISS is set to touch down in a remote location in the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo, over 2,500 km from the nearest landmass.
This operation signifies a momentous shift towards developing the Gateway, a lunar orbiting platform, promising a new chapter of ambitious endeavors in aerospace engineering.