NASA selects SpaceX to develop the ISS deorbit vehicle

In preparation for the safe deorbit of the International Space Station after 2030, NASA has selected SpaceX to build and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. The single-award contract, valued at $843 million, is widely regarded as critical to ensure the safe and controlled deorbiting of the decades-old laboratory, minimizing risks to populated areas.

A cornerstone of international space collaboration for a quarter-century, the ISS has been managed by five space agencies: NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Russian space agency Roscosmos. Since 1998, these agencies have worked together to maintain and operate the space station, with each responsible for specific hardware and operations. Each has committed to continue station operations through 2030, save for Roscosmos, which has committed to operations through at least 2028. Regardless, the deorbit responsibility is shared among all five agencies.

SpaceX is contracted to develop the spacecraft, which NASA is expected to operate throughout its mission, with a goal of ensuring a safe and controlled reentry process. The deorbit vehicle plays a crucial role in guiding the ISS during its final orbits, ensuring it follows a precise trajectory to safely break up destructively over a remote area of the Pacific Ocean.

According to NASA, the launch of the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will be procured in a separate contract.

No additional details about the vehicle have been released. However, during a June 28 teleconference about ongoing ISS operations, NASA officials said the spacecraft would be based on “Dragon heritage” hardware. Moreover, in white paper analysis summary, the agency estimated that a controlled deorbit would require about 9,000 kilograms of propellant.

“Selecting a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations. This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth,” Ken Bowersox, NASA’s associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate, said in a news release. “The orbital laboratory remains a blueprint for science, exploration, and partnerships in space for the benefit of all.”

The ISS is expected to be replaced by one or more commercially-run platforms with NASA as an anchor customer in order to continue supporting scientific research, technology development, and international cooperation. The space station has long been seen as a model for how nations can work together in space, and its legacy no doubt will influence future endeavors.