https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-international-space-station-us-deorbit-vehicle/ NASA Logo * Explore Search [ ] NASA Logo * News & Events News & Events + All NASA News + Video Series on NASA+ + Podcasts + Blogs + Newsletters + Social Media + Media Resources + Upcoming Launches & Landings + Virtual Events * Multimedia Multimedia + NASA+ + Images + NASA TV + Sounds and Ringtones + Interactives + NASA Apps + Podcasts + e-Books + STEM Multimedia * NASA+ Search [ ] Suggested Searches * Climate Change * Artemis * Expedition 64 * Mars perseverance * SpaceX Crew-2 * International Space Station * View All Topics A-Z * Home * Missions * Humans in Space * Earth & Climate * The Solar System * The Universe * Science * Aeronautics * Technology * Learning Resources * About NASA * Espanol ----------------------------------------------------------------- * News & Events * Multimedia * NASA+ Featured Hubble Captures Infant Stars Transforming a Nebula 2 min read Hubble Captures Infant Stars Transforming a Nebula article5 days ago First of Its Kind Detection Made in Striking New Webb Image 6 min read First of Its Kind Detection Made in Striking New Webb Image article6 days ago NASA's Perseverance rover viewed these dust devils 5 min read Why Scientists Are Intrigued by Air in NASA's Mars Sample Tubes article6 days ago Back --------------------------------------------------------------------- Missions * Search All NASA Missions * A to Z List of Missions * Upcoming Launches and Landings * Spaceships and Rockets * Communicating with Missions * Artemis * James Webb Space Telescope * Hubble Space Telescope * International Space Station * OSIRIS-Rex Humans in Space * Why Go to Space * Astronauts * Commercial Space * Destinations * Spaceships and Rockets * Living in Space Earth & Climate * Explore Earth Science * Climate Change * Earth, Our Planet * Earth Science in Action * Earth Multimedia * Earth Data * Earth Science Researchers The Solar System * The Sun * Mercury * Venus * Earth * The Moon * Mars * Jupiter * Saturn * Uranus * Neptune * Pluto & Dwarf Planets * Asteroids, Comets & Meteors * The Kuiper Belt * The Oort Cloud * Skywatching The Universe * Exoplanets * The Search for Life in the Universe * Stars * Galaxies * Black Holes * The Big Bang * Dark Energy & Dark Matter Science * Earth Science * Planetary Science * Astrophysics & Space Science * The Sun & Heliophysics * Biological & Physical Sciences * Lunar Science * Citizen Science * Astromaterials * Aeronautics Research * Human Space Travel Research Aeronautics * Science in the Air * NASA Aircraft * Flight Innovation * Supersonic Flight * Air Traffic Solutions * Green Aviation Tech * Drones & You Technology * Technology Transfer & Spinoffs * Space Travel Technology * Technology Living in Space * Manufacturing and Materials * Robotics * Science Instruments * Computing Learning Resources * For Kids and Students * For Educators * For Colleges and Universities * For Professionals * Science for Everyone * Requests for Exhibits, Artifacts, or Speakers * STEM Engagement at NASA About NASA * NASA's Impacts * Centers and Facilities * Directorates * Organizations * People of NASA * Careers * Internships * Our History * Doing Business with NASA * Get Involved * Contact Espanol * Ciencia * Aeronautica * Ciencias Terrestres * Sistema Solar * Universo News & Events * All NASA News * Video Series on NASA+ * Podcasts * Blogs * Newsletters * Social Media * Media Resources * Upcoming Launches & Landings * Virtual Events Multimedia * NASA+ * Images * NASA TV * Sounds and Ringtones * Interactives * NASA Apps * Podcasts * e-Books * STEM Multimedia Highlights Imagery captured by a navigation camera aboard NASA's Perseverance rover 5 min read Detective Work Enables Perseverance Team to Revive SHERLOC Instrument article 3 hours ago Mineral fragment from OSIRIS-REx's asteroid Bennu sample, seen against a black background. The pieces are predominantly gray, with notable light blue hues flecked throughout. The biggest fragment, triangular, is about a millimeter on a side. 6 min read Surprising Phosphate Finding in NASA's OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample article 4 hours ago Jupiter's moon Io 6 min read NASA's Juno Gets a Close-Up Look at Lava Lakes on Jupiter's Moon Io article 5 hours ago Highlights A rainbow flag is displayed inside the cupola aboard the International Space Station, with Earth visible through the windows in the background. 2 min read Unity in Orbit: Astronauts Soar with Pride Aboard Station article 1 day ago Key adapters for the first crewed Artemis missions are manufactured at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. 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Donaldson Abbey A. Donaldson Jun 26, 2024 RELEASE24-090 NASA Headquarters * * * * NASA logo NASA logo NASA is fostering continued scientific, educational, and technological developments in low Earth orbit to benefit humanity, while also supporting deep space exploration at the Moon and Mars. As the agency transitions to commercially owned space destinations closer to home, it is crucial to prepare for the safe and responsible deorbit of the International Space Station in a controlled manner after the end of its operational life in 2030. NASA announced SpaceX has been selected to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle that will provide the capability to deorbit the space station and ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas. "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." While the company will develop the deorbit spacecraft, NASA will take ownership after development and operate it throughout its mission. Along with the space station, it is expected to destructively breakup as part of the re-entry process. Since 1998, five space agencies, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and State Space Corporation Roscosmos, have operated the International Space Station with each agency responsible for managing and controlling the hardware it provides. The station was designed to be interdependent and relies on contributions from across the partnership to function. The United States, Japan, Canada, and the participating countries of ESA have committed to operating the station through 2030. Russia has committed to continued station operations through at least 2028. The safe deorbit of the International Space Station is the responsibility of all five space agencies. The single-award contract has a total potential value of $843 million. The launch service for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will be a future procurement. In its 24th year of continuously crewed operations, the space station is a unique scientific platform where crew members conduct experiments across multiple disciplines of research, including Earth and space science, biology, human physiology, physical sciences, and technology demonstrations not possible on Earth. Crews living aboard station are the hands of thousands of researchers on the ground having conducted more than 3,300 experiments in microgravity. Station is the cornerstone of space commerce, from commercial crew and cargo partnerships to commercial research and national lab research, and lessons learned aboard International Space Station are helping to pass the torch to future commercial stations. Learn more about space station operations at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- Josh Finch Headquarters, Washington 202-356-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov NASA Logo National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery. * About NASA's Mission Join Us * Home * News & Events * Multimedia * NASA+ * Missions * Humans in Space * Earth & Climate * The Solar System * The Universe * Science * Aeronautics * Technology * Learning Resources * About NASA * NASA en Espanol Follow NASA * * * * * More NASA Social Accounts * NASA Newsletters * Sitemap * For Media * Privacy Policy * FOIA * No FEAR Act * Office of the IG * Budget & Annual Reports * Agency Financial Reports * Contact NASA * Accessibility * Page Last Updated: Jun 26, 2024 * Page Editor: Abbey A. 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