NASA commissioned Space X to build the ship to destroy the Space Station

SpaceXthe company run by Elon Muskwill have a vital mission for the future of space exploration: NASA commissioned him the construction of a spacecraft capable of deorbit the International Space Station. The mission will be carried out when the international collaboration project ends its operational life in 2030.

The orbital station was launched into space on November 20, 1998 and has been active for 25 years. The contract between the company and the US agency for the development of the aircraft It has a value that amounts to US$843 million.

NASA’s request to Space

Elon Musk will continue to be a key man in the future of the space exploration. It is that NASA entrusted the company run by the South African tycoon to develop and build the “American Deorbiter Vehicle” which will be used to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS for its acronym in English).

So, SpaceX will have to develop an aircraft that functions as a “space tug.” The objective is for it to push the ISS safely out of its orbit and drop it on Earth.

The mission is planned for 2030, the year in which the orbital station will end its useful life. Through a statement, the US agency announced the order, as well as the details of the contract between both parties: in total, the budget assigned by NASA for the development of the ship will be US$843 million.

The mission to deorbit the International Space Station

The ISS was launched into space on November 20, 1998. The project was possible due to a collaboration between different agencies from different countries, including; the POT; Roscosmos; JAXA; THAT; and CSA/ASC.

At the time of its removal, the station will have been 32 years active. During this time, scientists and astronauts carried out more than 3000 experiments in medicine, biology, physicsetc.

The mission for its withdrawal will not be easy at all. An aircraft must be created that is capable of dock and “tow” the stationpushing her out of the earth orbit, causing its fall to Earth. The remains of the ISS are expected to fall in the most uninhabited South Pacificthe area around Point Nemo.

This is the furthest place from any coast. Even the astronauts of the ISS – located 360km of sea surface– pass closer to that point than any other human being.

Although difficult, this is not an impossible mission. There are already space tugs – such as ESA’s ATV spacecraft – that participated in launch and re-orbit missions. The company led by Elon Musk did not give details about the power or dimensions that the aircraft must have.