SpaceX will use $843M 'space tug' to down International Space Station
6 months, 1 week ago

SpaceX will use $843M 'space tug' to down International Space Station

Daily Mail  

It'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.

History of this topic

Elon Musk's SpaceX will build a $843M 'tug vehicle' to pull the International Space Station back down to Earth - as part of NASA's grand plan to decommission the ageing observatory
6 months, 1 week ago
NASA taps Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring International Space Station out of orbit in a few more years
6 months, 2 weeks ago
NASA taps Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring International Space Station out of orbit in a few more years
6 months, 2 weeks ago

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