the end of the international space station

The end of the International Space Station will arrive in 2030,  will be removed from orbit, and fall into the Pacific Ocean, specifically in the Point Nemo space cemetery, where space debris and satellite debris fall out of service.​

Notably, this area of debris has been used for decades to store old space stations and satellites. An example of this is the Russian space station "Mir" which was taken out of orbit in 2001.

In addition, the area is more than 2700 km away from any land location, so there is no possible damage to third parties. Since 1971 almost 330 pieces of space debris have been sunk (The Guardian), which shows us the efficiency of the processes of induced fall of space debris.

More about the International Space Station

With a similar size to an American football field, the ISS has orbited the Earth since 2000 (two years after its launch), making complete rounds to our planet every 90 minutes. Since its launch, the ISS has been home to dozens of astronauts. ​

At first, the plan was a 15-years lifespan, yet this lapse was extended, as its structural conditions were favorable to continue its work. It was until 2021, that a Russian official declared the discovery of fissures in the oldest part of the station therefore, it was decided to remove it from orbit since these cracks could produce irreparable damage throughout the space installation. Alternately, NASA has developed feasibility analyses, which show that ISS will be operational by 2030.​

What about space research?

After the death of the ISS, NASA-led research will be carried out on commercial spacecraft, saving billions of dollars. This saved budget will change focus, as it will be used for the development of "NASA deep space exploration initiatives," Robyn Gatens, director of the International Space Station at NASA headquarters, explained in a statement.​

This way, NASA will help lay the groundwork for developing space commerce in the low Earth orbit and gain operational experience that serves the private sector for tourist destinations in space, stated Phil McAlister, commercial space director at NASA.​