NASA will have a spacecraft from Elon Musk’s SpaceX guide the International Space Station’s destruction after its retirement.
NASA will have a spacecraft from Elon Musk's SpaceX guide the International Space Station's destruction after its retirement in 2030.Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded an $843 million contract to SpaceX to build the so-called"U.S. Deorbit Vehicle." The spacecraft will be designed to guide the football-field-sized research laboratory back into the Earth's atmosphere after retiring in 2030. The SpaceX-built vehicle will effectively destroy the ISS by pushing the station into reentry from orbit."It is crucial to prepare for the safe and responsible deorbit of the International Space Station in a controlled manner," NASA said in a press release, with the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle needed to"ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas."SpaceX's Dragon crew capsule"Endeavour" seen from the International Space Station on May 2, 2024.
NASA did not specify whether SpaceX's design for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will be based on one of the company's existing spacecraft, such as its Dragon capsules. SpaceX and NASA did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the design.The U.S. – along with four international partner agencies representing Russia, Europe, Canada, and Japan – has been preparing for the eventual end of the ISS, which has been crewed since 2000.
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