NASA has awarded SpaceX $843 million to develop a vehicle tasked with safely deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) around 2030, originally a responsibility held by Russian thrusters.
The U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, under NASA’s ownership, aims to mitigate risks to populated areas by safely disposing of the aging space station. The ISS, a joint effort led by the United States and Russia, has operated for over two decades and faces retirement due to aging components.
As geopolitical tensions persist, particularly amidst Russia’s strained relations with the West, NASA has accelerated plans for its own deorbiting capabilities to ensure continuity beyond Russia’s planned departure from the ISS partnership in 2028.
NASA is also investing in private space station development to maintain U.S. presence in low-Earth orbit and compete with China’s expanding space initiatives, including missions to the moon.
