Business

SpaceX Wins $843 Million NASA Contract To Deorbit The International Space Station

SpaceX has secured an $843 million contract from NASA to develop and deliver the US Deorbit Vehicle, designed to ensure the safe and controlled deorbit of the International Space Station (ISS) at the end of its operational life in 2030.

This significant contract underscores NASA’s commitment to a responsible transition in low Earth orbit.

The US Deorbit Vehicle will be instrumental in safely guiding the ISS into a controlled descent, minimizing the risk to populated areas on Earth.

IANS reported, Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, emphasized the importance of this development.

He stated, “Selecting a US 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.”

Under the terms of the contract, SpaceX will construct the deorbit spacecraft, while NASA will oversee its operation throughout the mission.

The spacecraft, along with the ISS will destructively break up during re-entry, ensuring that any debris poses minimal risk to populated areas.

Since its launch in 1998, the ISS has been a beacon of international cooperation, hosting astronauts from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), NASA, and Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos.

Each agency has been responsible for managing and controlling the hardware they provided.

The commitment to the ISS extends into the next decade, with the US, Japan, Canada, and the participating countries of ESA pledging to operate the station through 2030.

Russia has committed to its continued operation through at least 2028.

The ISS is currently in its 24th year of continuous crewed operations, having facilitated over 3,300 experiments in microgravity.

Also Read: 5G Spectrum Auction Sees Bids Exceeding Rs 11,000 Crore

Mankrit Kaur

Recent Posts

RBI Frontloads Rate Cuts To Boost Growth Amid Low Inflation: Crisil

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has frontloaded its rate cuts to support economic growth,…

38 mins ago

PM Modi Urges Global Action On Coastal Resilience At Nice Summit

PM Narendra Modi on Saturday called for urgent global action to build infrastructure that can…

45 mins ago

CJI BR Gavai Highlights Technology’s Historic Role In India’s Judicial System

CJI BR Gavai during the academic forum at the School of Oriental and African Studies…

1 hour ago

Jaishankar Reaffirms India’s Zero Tolerance Policy On Terrorism In Talks With UK Foreign Secretary Lammy

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday met UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and appreciated…

1 hour ago

HM Amit Shah Hails Anti-Naxal Success; Pledges Continued Drive For Peace

Amit Shah lauded the success of recent anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and expressed his desire…

2 hours ago

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Reaffirms India’s Zero Tolerance For Terrorism

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reaffirmed India's firm zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and…

2 hours ago