NASA and SpaceX’s Giant Deal: International Space Station De-Orbiting!
NASA has awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to de-orbit the International Space Station. Here are the details!
NASA has awarded SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, an $843 million contract to de-orbit the International Space Station (ISS). This new mission will take place within a few years of the end of the ISS’ operational life, and NASA will maintain oversight of the mission.
NASA and SpaceX’s New Mission
Launched in 1998, the ISS is scheduled to be de-orbited by 2030. The station, operated by the space agencies of the United States, Europe, Japan, Canada and Russia, has been in continuous use by astronaut crews since 2000.
All participating countries have committed to operate the ISS until 2030, while Russia has only pledged to continue its participation until 2028.
“The orbital laboratory remains a blueprint for science, exploration and collaborations in space,” said Ken Bowersox, deputy administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate.
The contract is seen as a sign of confidence in the technological capabilities of SpaceX, a Hawthorne, California-based rocket manufacturer founded by Elon Musk in 2002 to explore new space frontiers.
NASA’s agreement with SpaceX is another example of the growing role of the private sector in space exploration. This mission to safely deorbit the ISS will go down in history as a symbol of international cooperation and technological progress.
