SpaceX Awarded $843 Million Contract to Develop US Deorbit Vehicle for ISS Retirement

NASA has awarded SpaceX, a leading aerospace manufacturer, with the contract to develop and deliver the US Deorbit Vehicle. The spacecraft, named after Elon Musk’s company, will be used to bring the International Space Station (ISS) back into Earth’s atmosphere and into the Pacific Ocean once it is retired in 2030. The contract has a potential value of $843 million.

According to Ken Bowersox, an official from NASA, the US Deorbit Vehicle will play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and responsible transition of the ISS into low Earth orbit at the end of its operations. The spacecraft weighs an impressive 430,000 kilograms and is expected to disintegrate in three stages upon atmospheric re-entry. While much of the material will vaporize, large chunks are expected to survive. NASA plans to target an area in the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo for the final resting place of the ISS due to its remote location and its reputation as a “graveyard” for satellites and spacecraft.

Since its first launch in 1998, the ISS has been continuously inhabited by an international crew since 2001. Although several participating countries have committed to operating the ISS until 2030, Russia has only committed until 2028. Several companies are working on commercial successors to replace the ISS once it retires, including Jeff Bezos’ Axiom Space and Blue Origin.