The space station faces a dramatic end when it ceases operations in about six years from now, and SpaceX will help to make it happen.
The International Space Station is nearing the end of its life after more than two decades in low-Earth orbit.
Recommended Videos After putting out a call for proposals for the space tug last year, NASA announced on Wednesday that it has selected SpaceX to build it in a contract worth $843 million. “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,” said Ken Bowersox, NASA’s associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate, adding that the the orbital laboratory “remains a blueprint for science, exploration, and partnerships in space for the benefit of all.
It’s possible that some parts of the ISS will survive reentry, therefore NASA will attempt to send those parts plunging toward Point Nemo in the Pacific Ocean, a spot far from land known as “the space cemetery” as it is often targeted for controlled descents of space junk. The importance of getting the ISS reentry right was highlighted just recently when a piece of space junk released from the space station landed on a Florida home.
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