NASA Selects SpaceX To Build Spacecraft To Destroy ISS in 2030's

NASA is preparing for the safe and responsible deorbiting of the International Space Station (ISS) after its operational life ends in 2030 when they transition to commercially owned space destinations.

Today, June 26th, 2024, NASA has made the historic selection of SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, which will ensure the ISS can be safely deorbited and its re-entry managed to avoid risks to populated areas.

“Selecting a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations. This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth...The orbital laboratory remains a blueprint for science, exploration, and partnerships in space for the benefit of all.” - Ken Bowersox, Associate Administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

SpaceX will develop the deorbit spacecraft, which NASA will own and operate throughout its mission. The spacecraft, along with the ISS, is expected to destructively break up during re-entry.

Since 1998, five space agencies—CSA (Canadian Space Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and State Space Corporation Roscosmos; have jointly operated the ISS. Each agency manages and controls the hardware it provides, making the station an interdependent facility that relies on contributions from all partners to function.

The United States, Japan, Canada, and the participating countries of ESA have committed to operating the ISS through 2030, while Russia has committed to continued operations through at least 2028. The safe deorbiting of the ISS is a responsibility shared by all five space agencies.

The single-award contract for the development of the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle has a total potential value of $843 million. The launch service for the deorbit vehicle will be procured in the future.

Now in its 24th year of continuous crewed operations, the ISS remains a unique scientific platform where crew members conduct experiments across various disciplines, including Earth and space science, biology, human physiology, physical sciences, and technology demonstrations that are not possible on Earth.

Crews aboard the station represent thousands of researchers on the ground and have conducted over 3,300 experiments in microgravity. The ISS is also the cornerstone of space commerce, from commercial crew and cargo partnerships to commercial and national lab research. Lessons learned aboard the ISS are paving the way for future commercial space stations.

As NASA looks to the future, fostering the introduction of the next generation of space destinations, ensuring the ISS's end-of-life procedures are managed safely and responsibly underscores the agency's commitment to sustained human presence in low Earth orbit and beyond.

NASA will continue to champion scientific, educational, and technological advancements in low Earth orbit to benefit humanity, while also advancing deep space exploration to the Moon and Mars, long after the ISS has been retired.