Expected safe and responsible deorbit of space station after operational life in 2030
International Space Station has been continuously crewed since 2000, serving as unique scientific platform with over 3,300 experiments conducted in microgravity
NASA selects SpaceX to develop and deliver US Deorbit Vehicle for International Space Station
SpaceX selected after evaluation of various alternatives for deorbitting ISS found to be technically or economically infeasible
Total potential value of contract is $843 million
U.S. Deorbit Vehicle expected to destructively breakup during re-entry process
U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will provide capability to deorbit ISS and ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas
NASA has selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station, with a total potential value of $843 million. The safe and responsible deorbit of the space station is expected after its operational life in 2030, with NASA taking ownership of the deorbit spacecraft after development and operating it throughout its mission. The U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will provide the capability to deorbit the space station and ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas.
The International Space Station has been continuously crewed since 2000, serving as a unique scientific platform where crew members conduct experiments across multiple disciplines of research, including Earth and space science, biology, human physiology, physical sciences, and technology demonstrations not possible on Earth. The station is the cornerstone of space commerce and has seen more than 3,300 experiments conducted in microgravity.
The decision to select SpaceX for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle contract comes after NASA evaluated various alternatives for deorbiting the International Space Station, including disassembling it in orbit or trying to raise its orbit with a large spacecraft like SpaceX's Starship. Ultimately, any attempts to preserve or reuse the ISS were found to be technically or economically infeasible.
The U.S. Deorbit Vehicle is expected to destructively breakup as part of the re-entry process, ensuring a controlled and safe deorbit of the International Space Station after its operational life in 2030.
NASA selected SpaceX to develop a spacecraft for the deorbiting of the International Space Station around the end of the decade.
The contract is valued at up to $843 million and covers the development of the spacecraft, with NASA conducting a later procurement for launching it.
The spacecraft will dock with the ISS and perform final series of maneuvers needed for controlled reentry over a remote ocean region.
NASA owns and operates the spacecraft instead of procuring it as a service like cargo and crew transportation.
SpaceX’s design for the USDV is not yet revealed, but it is expected to be based on the Dragon spacecraft.
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The article contains an appeal to authority when NASA Administrator Bill Nelson states 'We don't know what the president of Russia is going to do, and we could be in an emergency situation that we have to get this structure that is as big as a football stadium down, and down safely, in 2031.' This statement implies a sense of urgency and potential danger which may influence readers to trust NASA's decision-making process without questioning it. However, the article does not contain any dichotomous depictions or formal fallacies.
We don’t know what the president of Russia is going to do, and we could be in an emergency situation that we have to get this structure that is as big as a football stadium down, and down safely, in 2031.
NASA has selected SpaceX to develop a vehicle for safely deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) after its operational life in 2030.
SpaceX will be responsible for disposing of the ISS in a controlled manner at the end of its operational life.
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The contract is worth up to $843 million, but does not include launch costs.
The International Space Station will continue operations until commercial space stations are ready to support crews, at which point the ISS will move out of the way.
NASA will pay SpaceX up to nearly $1 billion to develop a vehicle for deorbiting the International Space Station
SpaceX-made vehicle could launch later this decade and latch onto the ISS, guiding it out of Earth’s orbit
The International Space Station is expected to slam back into Earth’s atmosphere while still traveling more than 17,000 miles per hour (27,359 kilometers per hour)
NASA plans to hand over operations in low-Earth orbit to the private sector and focus on exploring deeper into the solar system
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The article contains an appeal to authority when NASA is quoted as stating '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 statement implies that NASA has expertise in ensuring safe deorbit transitions, but it does not provide any evidence or reasoning to support this claim.
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.
