Final chapter 2030

SpaceX spacecraft to retrieve ISS from orbit

Weighing 430,000 kilograms, the ISS is by far the largest man-made object in space.

(Bild: NASA)

The International Space Station (ISS) is to remain in operation until 2030, after which it will have to be "buried": As the US space agency NASA announced on Wednesday, the SpaceX Group is to build the necessary vehicle for this complicated maneuver.

The contract with Elon Musk's company is worth up to 843 million dollars (the equivalent of almost 780 million euros). The remains of the ISS are to be sunk in the Pacific Ocean.

The spacecraft that will move the ISS towards the Earth's atmosphere will be called the "US Deorbit Vehicle". NASA explained that the USA and its international partners in space wanted to use it to "ensure a safe and responsible transition to low-Earth orbit for the ISS at the end of station operations".

Largest man-made object in space
With a weight of 430,000 kilograms, the ISS is by far the largest man-made object in space. Experts predict that most of the material will be destroyed on re-entry into the atmosphere.

However, large pieces are expected to survive. They are expected to fall into the Pacific Ocean at Point Nemo - one of the most remote areas in the world - which is already used as a "graveyard" by satellites and spaceships.

ISS to be operated until 2030
Construction of the ISS in space began in 1998. Japan, Canada, the USA and the participating countries of the European Space Agency (ESA) want to operate the space station until 2030. Russia, an extremely important partner in space, has so far only committed to operating the station until 2028, but is open to continuing operations until 2030.