The satellite image shows an overview of the International Space Station and the Boeing Starliner spacecraft on June 7, 2024. Maxar Technologies | via Reuters
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced on Wednesday that it will allow a spacecraft from Elon Musk’s space exploration technology company to guide the destruction of the International Space Station later this decade. NASA awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to build the so-called “US off-track aircraft.” The spacecraft will guide the football-field-sized research lab back into the Earth’s atmosphere after its retirement in 2030, effectively destroying the International Space Station. NASA stated in a press release, “Preparing for the safe and responsible off-track of the ISS in a controlled manner is crucial,” and that the US off-track aircraft needs to “ensure avoiding risks to densely populated areas.”
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration did not specify whether SpaceX’s US off-track aircraft design will be based on one of the company’s existing spacecraft, such as its “Dragon” spacecraft. SpaceX and NASA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the design. The US, along with representing Russia, Europe, Canada, and Japan’s four international cooperation agencies, has been preparing for the final end of the International Space Station, which has been manned since 2000. The International Space Station was primarily created as a manned research laboratory and has conducted over 3,300 microgravity experiments, including studies in medical science and technology demonstrations that are impossible on Earth.
However, the International Space Station is aging, and NASA and its main partner, the Russian Space Agency, are unable to solve the space station’s increasingly deteriorating micro-leakage issues. NASA published a study on Wednesday analyzing its decision to intentionally destroy the International Space Station during controlled re-entry. The agency evaluated various alternative solutions, including dismantling the space station in orbit or attempting to lift the International Space Station to a higher orbit using SpaceX’s Starship or other large spacecraft. The agency wrote, “The space station is a unique artificial artifact, and its historical value cannot be overstated. NASA took this into account when determining if any part of the space station could be salvaged for historical preservation or technical analysis.” Ultimately, the agency’s study determined that any attempt to protect or reuse any part of the International Space Station was not feasible from a technical or economic standpoint. NASA pointed out that the operational life of the International Space Station may be extended beyond 2030, but this is not yet certain and requires agreement with its international cooperation agencies. NASA plans to replace the International Space Station with private space stations and help fund the development of US companies through the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations (CLD) program. The development and construction of the International Space Station cost approximately $150 billion, and NASA’s annual operating costs are around $4 billion, so the agency sees privately constructed space stations as a way to replace the International Space Station at a much lower cost.
