SpaceX lands lucrative NASA contract to destroy ISS after 2030

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy NASA has awarded SpaceX a multimillion-dollar contract to safely deorbit the International Space Station at the end of its operational life after 2030. “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,” Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA, said in a statement. “This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth.” The ISS was built starting in the 1980s and launched in orbit between the late 1990s and early 2000s. “Station is the cornerstone of space commerce, from commercial crew and cargo partnerships to commercial research and national lab research, and lessons learned aboard the International Space Station are helping to pass the torch to future commercial stations,” NASA said.