SpaceX secures an $843 million NASA contract to de-orbit the ISS in 2030

NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract worth up to $843 million to develop a spacecraft designed to de-orbit the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030. The ISS, which has been operational for decades, is approaching the end of its service life. As plans for new commercial space stations progress, safely decommissioning the ISS has become a priority.

The spacecraft, referred to as the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle by NASA, will be distinct from SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, which currently handles cargo and crew missions to the ISS. Unlike the Dragon and other service vehicles built and operated by SpaceX, NASA will own and operate the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle once it is developed.

A critical aspect of the spacecraft’s mission will be ensuring that the ISS reenters Earth’s atmosphere in a controlled manner, breaking up safely without posing a risk to populated areas. Both the deorbit vehicle and the ISS will be designed to destructively reenter the atmosphere.

The specific launch details for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will be disclosed at a later date. Initially, NASA and its international partners considered using a Russian Roscosmos Progress spacecraft for the de-orbit mission. However, subsequent studies concluded that a new, purpose-built spacecraft would be required.

The responsibility for safely decommissioning the ISS is shared among the five space agencies involved in its operation: NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos. It remains unclear if the contract’s funding is being collectively covered by all participating nations.