NASA Awards SpaceX $843 Million Contract to Develop Deorbit Vehicle for International Space Station

NASA has granted Elon Musk’s SpaceX an $843-million contract to develop a vehicle capable of safely deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) for its planned destruction around 2030. This significant task, originally designated for Russia’s thrusters, will now be managed by a U.S.-built craft under NASA’s supervision, as reported by Reuters.

The new project by SpaceX, named the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, is specifically designed to safely deorbit the ISS, ensuring that its re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere minimizes risks to populated areas. NASA will take ownership of this craft and oversee the deorbiting process.

The ISS, a long-standing collaboration primarily between the United States and Russia, has been continuously manned by government astronauts for nearly 24 years. However, the station’s aging infrastructure has prompted NASA and its international partners to set 2030 as the target for its retirement.

While the U.S., Japan, Canada, and the European Space Agency have committed to supporting the ISS through 2030, Russia has agreed to remain a partner until 2028, the maximum lifespan for its hardware, according to Roscosmos. Despite geopolitical tensions, the ISS has remained a symbol of international scientific cooperation, orbiting about 250 miles above Earth.

Originally, the responsibility of deorbiting the ISS fell to Russian thrusters. However, recent geopolitical developments have led NASA to seek an independent deorbit capability, preparing for the possibility that Russia might exit the partnership early or become unable to fulfill this role.

The urgency of the U.S. deorbit strategy has increased due to rising political pressure to secure contingency plans amidst deteriorating U.S.-Russia relations. Looking beyond 2030, NASA is investing in the development of privately built space stations to ensure continued U.S. presence in low-Earth orbit, with companies like Airbus and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin involved in these early efforts.

While the market for private space stations remains uncertain, U.S. officials emphasize the importance of a commercial replacement for the ISS to remain competitive with China’s new space station in low-Earth orbit. In addition to low-Earth orbit ventures, NASA and China are also engaged in a race to the moon, with NASA aiming to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, with significant investments and partnerships with various countries and companies, including SpaceX.