SpaceX to Lead Safe Retirement of the ISS by 2030.
NASA has awarded Elon Musk’s SpaceX an $843 million contract to build a “US Deorbit Vehicle” to safely retire the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030. Since its inception in 2000, the ISS has been a vital hub for international scientific collaboration, hosting over 3,300 experiments. Operated by the US, Russia, Japan, Europe, and Canada, the ISS symbolizes post-Cold War cooperation.
With current agreements expiring in 2030, NASA plans a controlled deorbit, ensuring the ISS disintegrates harmlessly over a remote ocean area. This aligns with NASA’s shift toward commercially owned space destinations closer to Earth. Once SpaceX develops the deorbit spacecraft, NASA will take over its operational phase.
This move signifies a transition to a new era in space exploration, where private entities like SpaceX, Axiom, Blue Origin, and Vast plan to launch their own commercial space stations. This shift from government-operated to privately owned space habitats reflects broader trends in space policy and exploration strategies focused on sustainability and cost-effectiveness.