How NASA and SpaceX will bring down the space station when it's retired

The International Space Station (ISS), a marvel of international collaboration, is nearing retirement. With signs of age after 3 decades in orbit, NASA and SpaceX have charted its fiery descent in early 2031. Here's a breakdown of the plan and the reasons behind it.

Why Retire the ISS?

The ISS, launched in 1998, has served as a crucial platform for scientific research and space exploration. However, its time is up. NASA aims to shift focus towards lunar and Martian missions, while encouraging private companies to build their own space stations.

Taking it Apart in Space? Not an Option.

Disassembling the ISS in orbit poses safety and logistical challenges. Additionally, no spacecraft exists with the capacity to ferry its massive parts back to Earth. Boosting it to a higher orbit was also deemed impractical.

The Chosen Path: A Fiery Demise

To ensure a controlled reentry, a souped-up SpaceX Dragon capsule will be used. This powerful spacecraft, equipped with record-breaking thrust, will dock with the ISS and slowly lower it towards a designated area in the South Pacific or Indian Ocean. While some larger pieces will survive reentry, most of the station will burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

Lessons from History

NASA has experience with space station deorbiting. Skylab's uncontrolled descent in 1979 scattered debris across Australia, while Russia successfully guided Mir to a fiery reentry in 2001.

A Bittersweet Farewell

While a small portion of the ISS will be retrieved for museum exhibits, the practical solution is a single, destructive descent. This marks the end of an era, but also opens doors for future space exploration endeavors.