SpaceX founder Elon Musk wants to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) due to its limited utility. He claims the space station has served its purpose, with very little incremental value in scientific research. Musk’s goal is to shift focus towards Mars exploration and development.
The ISS was built as an international collaboration for decades of scientific research, operated by NASA and other countries since 1998. However, its technical lifetime is limited due to primary structure impacts from spacecraft dockings and orbital heating.
NASA has explored various decommissioning options, including disassembly and return to Earth or controlled targeted re-entry to a remote ocean area. SpaceX was recently awarded over $840 million by NASA to develop the deorbit vehicle.
A natural and gradual decrease in altitude combined with a re-entry maneuver will be used to control debris size and send it down into an uninhabited region of the ocean. No substantial long-term environmental impacts are expected.
Musk’s decision comes after recent public exchanges with European astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who criticized SpaceX for not offering rescue services to NASA astronauts before their return to Earth. Despite this, Musk continues to prioritize Mars exploration over the ISS.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/space/elon-musk-space-iss-deorbit-b2702323.html