NASA's New Plans For The International Space Station's Deorbit

The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth for decades now. In that time it has provided some incredible science and discoveries, along with innovations and much more. However, the laboratory continues to age and cost billions of dollars each year. For these reasons among others, NASA decided the station was nearing the end of its life and would be decommissioned in the coming years.

After discussion and extensions, currently, the retirement date is scheduled to happen in 2031. However, just days ago we learned more about how the agency plans to do this and what it’s going to cost them. Specifically, when the White House released its 2024 federal budget request, NASA’s $27.2 billion allocation included $180 million “to initiate development of a new space tug” that could safely deorbit the ISS over the open ocean after its operational life ends.

This system is quite important as they need to be accurate to ensure the safety of humans with such a large structure re-entering the atmosphere. Here I will go more in-depth into the new space tug NASA is working on, the overall ISS transition plan, what to expect in the coming years, and more.

Credit:

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:54 - New Space Tug
3:02 - Full ISS Transition Plan

[Commander-McBragg]

Too bad we can’t bring the ISS back home. At least we have a replica at NASA. Wonder if we will get to see it someday.

[kairon]

Sad times to see the ISS go.
It would be nice if the Canada Arm could be moved to what ever replaces the ISS

[sandbridgekid]

The station should be boosted into a higher museum orbit. And replace the Functional Cargo Block and Zarya modules. The staggering cost of launching all the payloads that made the ISS not just including the development, deployment, maintenance, point to refurbishment not deorbiting.

[ryann]

I'm gonna be so sad to see the ISS go. I still think it should be kept as a backbone for future stations

[AluminumOxide]

Maybe let’s get starship to disassemble it

[dissaid]

😎 Hour by hour....Not like I am streaming Starbase or the ISS over here...

[ImmortalAbsol]

IT SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
Park it out of the way and keep it as a space museum, autonomously dock other exhibits to it, like a space version of the USS Intrepid!

[kolbalthusky]

Space X was chosen yesterday Jun 26th 2024 as the company to prepare a ship to deorbit the ISS!

[JoeRocket-sfqs]

U.s.a can't afford to have the worlds most powerful military and pay for NASA, thats just nuts

[Pedrok]

What are we going to replace it with now we have no shuttles

[RickyHoliday]

Spinlaunch and easter egg machines that can safely bring them back

[dododostenfiftyseven]

And it’s impossible to keep this as a space Museum floating in orbit as a tourist destination maybe?

[uuzds]

The first Module of the ISS, Russia's Zarya module, was launched in late1998 followed by the second Russian module, Zvezda in mid 2000. Astronaut's didn't occupy the ISS until later that year in Nov. The breakup of the Shuttle Columbia in 2003 pretty much halted Expansion of the ISS by the U.S. That's just under 2 decades of research by international communities for whatever projects were deemed important for a zero gravity environment by developers. So, what have we learned in 20 yrs of Very expensive Zero Gravity Research and what of this expensive science can be applied to a manned expeditions on the Moon or Mars? We see plenty of coverage of Astronaut travel to and from the ISS but don't hear much of what's being learned up there. Yes, I get that there are Gov and Corporate secrets surrounding some of the Research, but the majority of the ISS is paid for by me and you. So what's goin on up there ?

[TheMoneypresident]

Send it to the moon to crash. Many parts can be reusable there.

[brodie]

I’ve always wondered if starship could deorbit the modules safely one by one