The International Space Station (ISS) has been in orbit for more than 20 years. What once began as a US military project has been operated and developed jointly by a total of 16 countries since 1998. But like them NASA has now announced, the end of the gigantic satellite in space is on the horizon.
NASA: Controlled ISS Crash 2031
A newly released report, the US Space Agency’s ISS Transition Report, makes plans in this regard clear. It is true that NASA only extended the service life of the ISS up to and including 2030 at the beginning of 2022. But after that it should be over.
In January 2031 it should be ready. Then engineers should initiate a re-entry, in which parts of the space station burn up. What remains of her afterwards should then sink into the Pacific Ocean. The intended impact site is called “Point Nemo”, is far away from the mainland and is used as a so-called spaceship graveyard. The film studio planned for the ISS will therefore not exist for very long.
Reasons for ISS-Off
At the end of its service, the ISS will be more than 30 years old. The costs and effort involved in maintaining the aging structure have risen sharply over the years. They are also the main reason for NASA and other international space agencies not to proceed with the project.
Until then, various research projects will continue on board the ISS. In addition, more space tourists should be able to visit the station. However, the end of the ISS should not be the end of permanent human presence in space. According to the report, NASA aims to have a new space station in space by 2028. China is already working on its own and Russia is also pursuing similar plans.
Source: NASA