SpaceX will use $843M 'space tug' to down International Space Station
Daily MailIt's been a home for astronauts for nearly 25 years, about 250 miles above the Earth's surface. The space agency has selected Elon Musk's SpaceX to build a 'space tug' vehicle that will pull it back down towards Earth. When the two reach Earth's atmosphere they will burn up – but NASA expects the risk of debris raining down on us will be very small. 'Selecting a US 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,' said NASA in a statement. The first step in NASA's plan is to let the ISS begin to 'decay' in its orbit – meaning it'll get naturally get closer to Earth due to our planet's gravitational pull.