NASA's ISS deorbit plan will rely on a space tug that will help bring the station back down to Earth safely.
Published Mar 14th, 2023 6:11PM EDTNASA has shared new details about its ISS deorbit plan. The International Space Station is currently orbiting our planet, with ongoing scientific missions to continue until the end of the 2020s. Then, in 2030, NASA will use a “space tug” to help, where it will crash into the Pacific Ocean, resting at the bottom of the sea.
It’s an intriguing plan that NASA has had in the works for several months. However, the space agency originally planned to use Russian spacecraft to help navigate the station down to Earth. Currently, NASA is taking a different approach, saying it will rely on a “space tug” as a critical part of its ISS deorbit plan.The plan was first revealed on Thursday, March 9, after NASA released its 2024 federal budget request. The space agency has requested a $27.2 billion allocation, according to.
During a new NASA press conference discussing the proposed budget, even more details about the ISS deorbit plan emerged on Monday, March 13. Congress still has to approve it, but the space agency said it expects the initiative to cost just over $1 billion. NASA says the actual cost will probably be lower once it sends out a request for proposals.
The big goal is to create a “linchpin” in NASA’s space operations that gives them redundancies should the plans with the Russian spacecraft fall through. During Monday’s press conference, NASA also revealed that Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 are still on track for 2024 and 2025 launches. However, Artemis 4 has been pushed back to 2028.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NASA's Latest Request for Cash Includes Big Plans for a Deorbiting ISS 'Space Tug'The Biden administration wants $27.2 billion for NASA’s 2024 budget, with the space agency prioritizing Moon and Mars missions.
Read more »
This Week in Spaceflight: NASA Artemis Moon Suit Reveal, SpaceX ISS Cargo Mission, and MoreWe're expecting the third launch attempt of Relativity Space's 3D-printed rocket and new insights into what President Biden's proposed budget means for NASA.
Read more »
NASA Wants to Build a Special Spacecraft to Destroy the ISSNASA could be getting a bigger budget next year, with hopes of allocating money to developing its own spacecraft to retire the ISS.
Read more »
Watch Live: SpaceX Attempts to Launch NASA's Latest ISS Cargo MissionThe private company's Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Read more »
NASA to develop new spacecraft for the destruction of ISSNASA aims to develop a spacecraft capable of steering the International Space Station to a controlled destruction in Earth's atmosphere by 2030.
Read more »
Asteroid could hit Earth on Valentine’s Day 2046, monitored by NASANASA is watching an asteroid that could strike Earth on Valentine’s Day 2046. The odds are far in our planet’s favor, but the asteroid is No. 1 now on an official Risk List of impact threats.
Read more »