NASA to Develop $180 Million Spacecraft to Safely De-Orbit International Space Station
In a bid to ensure the safe de-orbit of the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has announced plans to develop a $180 million spacecraft. The ISS is set to orbit the Earth until 2030, after which it will be brought down in a controlled manner. During the de-orbit process, the ISS will enter the Earth’s atmosphere at a steep angle, causing it to largely disintegrate before any potential collision with the planet. Any remaining debris will fall into the open sea to avoid any danger to humans. However, to carry out a controlled de-orbit, NASA would need the Russian Progress spacecraft, which has the necessary engines for course corrections. Given the current political tensions surrounding the Ukraine conflict, NASA does not want to rely on the Russian space program.
The new spacecraft will have the ability to tow the ISS in space and bring it onto its de-orbit course. The responsible NASA manager stated that redundancy is necessary for safety reasons. Russia has already announced its intention to leave the ISS program in 2024, and there have been several conflicts between Roskosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin and NASA since the start of the Ukraine conflict. The head of the Russian space agency has threatened to deliberately alter the de-orbit course so that the ISS crashes onto American or European territory. The spacecraft is expected to be developed by 2024, and will ensure the safe de-orbit of the ISS without relying on the Russian space program.
