NASA is set to spend a billion dollars on a plan to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030. The deorbiting would be done using a modified SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The SpaceX Dragon will safely tug the ISS to the Earth, where most of the parts of the ISS will burn up and disintegrate in the atmosphere, and the remaining debris will fall into a remote oceanic region known as ‘Point Nemo.’
The ISS will start its descent from its current 250-mile orbit to 200 miles. The final astronaut crew will leave before the descent begins, removing all the significant parts of the ISS.
After the ISS descends to 175 miles, the SpaceX Dragon capsule will dock on the ISS. It will act as a space tug, gradually lowering the orbit and performing a series of manoeuvres.
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The capsule will give a final push at a critical point from where the SpaceX dragon and ISS will be on a reentry trajectory. They will hit the atmosphere at 17,000 mph, disintegrating the ISS.
The remaining debris, expected to be 40–100 tonnes, will then fall into Point Nemo. Point Nemo is the most remote region on Earth, located in the Pacific Ocean. This reduces the risk of accidents.
NASA made this decision to deorbit the ISS because the space station is ageing and showing signs of deterioration. During its 24-year lifespan, the Space Station has been a significant part of mankind’s progress in space exploration.
