Single-Use Deorbit Craft Will Be Designed, Developed by SpaceX for NASA Tasking

Disposal of the International Space Station will be left to SpaceX, according to a recent contract with NASA.

The administration chose SpaceX to develop and deliver the "U.S. Deorbit Vehicle", a spacecraft designed specifically to reliably deorbit the ISS while ensuring complete and thorough disintegration without risk to populated areas. SpaceX will develop the Deorbiter, and NASA will take ownership of the completed unit and operate it throughout its mission. The ship won't survive the process, so it will be a single-use arrow that burns up along with its target in the atmosphere.

“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 decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. 

“The orbital laboratory remains a blueprint for science, exploration, and partnerships in space for the benefit of all.”

Deorbiting has become a hot topic for everyone in the space game, as of late. A rush of new satellite constellations and the coming age of private space travel and stationeering mean that the atmospheric ecosystem suffers greatly from every piece of floating debris left in orbit. Starlink's satellites have been a high-visibility example in good end-of-life operation, being able to deorbit themselves once their mission is complete. That ensures that their orbital tracks are returned to service without polluting the spacial environment. 

FMI: www.nasa.gov/station, www.spacex.com