NASA has awarded SpaceX a potential $843 million contract to build and deliver a spacecraft designed to deorbit the International Space Station after the end of the orbiting laboratory’s operational life in 2030.
The space agency said Wednesday it will own and operate the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle throughout its mission and that the launch service for the spacecraft will be a separate procurement.
As part of the reentry process, NASA expects the deorbit vehicle to disintegrate, along with the ISS.
“Selecting a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations. This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate.
“The orbital laboratory remains a blueprint for science, exploration, and partnerships in space for the benefit of all,” Bowersox added.
NASA and its counterpart agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan and Russia have been operating the space station since 1998. The orbiting laboratory has provided crew members with the capability to conduct more than 3,300 experiments across several research disciplines, including Earth and space science, tech demonstrations and physical sciences, in microgravity.
The U.S., Canada, Japan and the European Space Agency’s participating countries have committed to operating the ISS through the end of this decade.
