NASA has recently unveiled a $1 billion plan to deliberately crash the International Space Station (ISS) into the Earth. The decision to decommission the orbiting laboratory in 2031 comes as a result of accumulated stresses on its structure over time. As part of this plan, NASA is offering payment to any company that can design a ‘space-tug’ capable of pulling the ISS out of its orbit and directing it towards Earth. This space tug, referred to as a US Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), will gradually guide the ISS from its position 175 miles above Earth’s surface to approximately 75 miles, at which point it will begin its final descent into the Pacific Ocean.
To participate in this project, proposals must be submitted no later than November 17. The retirement plan for the ISS will commence in 2026, during which NASA will allow the craft to naturally decay. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at Harvard University, explained that a similar process was carried out with the Mir space station. He further revealed that upon re-entry, several intact tons of material will hit the ocean, prompting airspace clearance warnings. He likened the task of redirecting the ISS to driving on a motorway with strong gusts of wind, highlighting the importance of a powerful vehicle to maintain control.
The initial step in NASA’s plan is to halt re-boosting the ship, allowing it to decay while remaining in orbit. This process will gradually reduce the orbit from around 250 miles above the Earth’s surface to 200 miles, a transition that will take several years to complete. In 2030, the ISS crew will embark on their final descent to Earth, bringing along any essential equipment. As the ISS continues to draw closer to Earth, it will reach a critical point known as the ‘Point of no return’, situated at 175 miles above the surface. At this juncture, the $1 billion space tug will come into play, giving the ISS a slight push from orbit. Consequently, re-entry will occur between 75 miles and 50 miles above the surface, resulting in the melting of the external skin of modules and the subsequent vaporization of exposed hardware. Any surviving remnants will be aimed towards Point Nemo, an area of the Pacific Ocean commonly used as a spacecraft graveyard.
McDowell further explained that approximately 8 tons of propellant will be required to bring the station down from its lowest controllable height. However, using a rocket engine with a six-hour burn time is impractical due to the loss of control within 30 minutes. Hence, a powerful rocket engine capable of burning through eight tons of fuel in just 15 minutes is necessary to successfully execute the full deorbit burn. McDowell emphasized that none of the existing cargo ships possess the required specifications, hence the need for the development of a new vehicle to safely dispose of the ISS.
The ISS, originally announced by President Ronald Reagan during his 1984 State of the Union Address, began operation in 2000. Throughout its existence, the station has accommodated over 250 visitors from 20 countries. Although its retirement timeline has surpassed the initial 15-year plan, the deteriorating condition of the space station necessitates its decommissioning. Planning for the ISS’s safe deorbit is a collective responsibility shared among five space agencies, including NASA, CSA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos. Each agency is accountable for managing and controlling the hardware it contributes. While some countries have committed to operating the station through 2028 or 2030, NASA has launched a transition plan to ensure it does not lose access to the benefits provided by the ISS. Multiple companies, such as Axiom Space, Blue Origin, and Northrup Grumman, have expressed interest in operating commercial stations as potential replacements.
Robyn Gatens, director of the International Space Station at NASA Headquarters, stated, “The International Space Station is entering its third and most productive decade as a groundbreaking scientific platform in microgravity. This third decade is a result of our successful global partnership, and it allows us to test exploration and human research technologies necessary for deep space exploration, continue to provide medical and environmental benefits to humanity, and establish a commercial future in low-Earth orbit.”
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