Elon Musk to destroy the International Space Station – with NASA's approval, for a fee
(2024/06/27)
- Reference: 1719480668
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/06/27/spacex_wins_iss_deorbit_contract/
- Source link:
Elon Musk's SpaceX has won a NASA contract to de-orbit the International Space Station (ISS).
The aerospace agency [1]announced the deal on Wednesday, and that it will see SpaceX "develop and deliver" a vehicle "that will provide the capability to deorbit the space station and ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas."
After SpaceX builds the "deorbit vehicle," NASA will take ownership of it and operate it.
[2]
NASA [3]sought bids for the deorbit vehicle in September 2023. The craft is needed because NASA and other ISS stakeholders have decided the orbital habitat is past its prime, with smaller and privately-owned space labs seen as superior options for future exploration.
[4]
[5]
The station masses over 400,000 kilograms – vastly more than the 2,600 kilograms of spent batteries that were deorbited in 2021 but didn't all burn up in Earth's atmosphere. Around 750 grams of material whacked the roof of a Florida home, leading to a [6]lawsuit seeking $80,000 to cover the cost of repairs and other expenses.
The ISS is large enough that debris could do a lot more damage than just punching a hole in one roof – which is why NASA wanted a specialized craft to make sure the job is done right first time.
[7]
NASA's initial estimate for the vehicle and the operation needed to kill the ISS was [8]just under a billion dollars .
[9]Additional hatch operations on a Boeing vehicle – but this time it's Starliner
[10]NASA hits wrong button, broadcasts ISS emergency training by mistake
[11]Ariane 6 ready to rocket, bringing heavy-lift capability back to Europe
[12]NASA will send astronauts to patch up leaky ISS telescope
NASA's announcement of the deal sates the "single-award contract has a total potential value of $843 million," leaving some headroom for other mission costs – including the price of launching the vehicle.
NASA and the other ISS partner agencies don't mind if the deorbit vehicle is an entirely new craft, or adapts an existing design.
Elon Musk – who acknowledged the contract award with a re-Xeet – hasn't offered any clues about SpaceX's plans.
Whatever the company creates, it needs to be ready by 2029 – ahead of a planned 2030 push to send the ISS to a fiery grave.
[13]
NASA, meanwhile, is trying to figure out when it can deorbit something far smaller: the Boeing-built Starliner capsule that's been [14]deemed unfit to fly other than in an emergency. ISS crew have a couple of spacewalks planned, which will likely push Starliner's departure into July at the earliest. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-international-space-station-us-deorbit-vehicle/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/27/nasa_deorbit_iss_bids/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/24/nasa_ought_to_pay_up/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/15/nasa_to_deorbit_iss/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/19/boeing_starliner_prepares_delay_iss/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/13/nasa_iss_emergency_broadcast/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/06/july_9_ariane_6_launch/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/18/nasa_nicer_repair_spacewalk/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/24/starliner_to_remain_docked_to/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The aerospace agency [1]announced the deal on Wednesday, and that it will see SpaceX "develop and deliver" a vehicle "that will provide the capability to deorbit the space station and ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas."
After SpaceX builds the "deorbit vehicle," NASA will take ownership of it and operate it.
[2]
NASA [3]sought bids for the deorbit vehicle in September 2023. The craft is needed because NASA and other ISS stakeholders have decided the orbital habitat is past its prime, with smaller and privately-owned space labs seen as superior options for future exploration.
[4]
[5]
The station masses over 400,000 kilograms – vastly more than the 2,600 kilograms of spent batteries that were deorbited in 2021 but didn't all burn up in Earth's atmosphere. Around 750 grams of material whacked the roof of a Florida home, leading to a [6]lawsuit seeking $80,000 to cover the cost of repairs and other expenses.
The ISS is large enough that debris could do a lot more damage than just punching a hole in one roof – which is why NASA wanted a specialized craft to make sure the job is done right first time.
[7]
NASA's initial estimate for the vehicle and the operation needed to kill the ISS was [8]just under a billion dollars .
[9]Additional hatch operations on a Boeing vehicle – but this time it's Starliner
[10]NASA hits wrong button, broadcasts ISS emergency training by mistake
[11]Ariane 6 ready to rocket, bringing heavy-lift capability back to Europe
[12]NASA will send astronauts to patch up leaky ISS telescope
NASA's announcement of the deal sates the "single-award contract has a total potential value of $843 million," leaving some headroom for other mission costs – including the price of launching the vehicle.
NASA and the other ISS partner agencies don't mind if the deorbit vehicle is an entirely new craft, or adapts an existing design.
Elon Musk – who acknowledged the contract award with a re-Xeet – hasn't offered any clues about SpaceX's plans.
Whatever the company creates, it needs to be ready by 2029 – ahead of a planned 2030 push to send the ISS to a fiery grave.
[13]
NASA, meanwhile, is trying to figure out when it can deorbit something far smaller: the Boeing-built Starliner capsule that's been [14]deemed unfit to fly other than in an emergency. ISS crew have a couple of spacewalks planned, which will likely push Starliner's departure into July at the earliest. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-international-space-station-us-deorbit-vehicle/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/27/nasa_deorbit_iss_bids/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/24/nasa_ought_to_pay_up/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/15/nasa_to_deorbit_iss/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/19/boeing_starliner_prepares_delay_iss/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/13/nasa_iss_emergency_broadcast/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/06/july_9_ariane_6_launch/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/18/nasa_nicer_repair_spacewalk/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/publicsector&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zn04SKuKoJTTxmgqu3Q4tAAAA0E&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/24/starliner_to_remain_docked_to/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
2029
Dan 55
Did NASA specify if that was 2029 as in the Gregorian calendar or 2029 as in the Musk calendar?
What a waste of a good film set
alain williams
It should be sold to the entertainment industry -- think of all the great films that could be made there. Even if they end up burning it up by de-orbiting it that would be a brilliant James Bond plot!
It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission
StewartWhite
Given that Elon Musk already looks like a bit like Dr. Evil and he no doubt thinks of himself as Ernst Blofeld, couldn't he just borrow the plot of "You only live twice" (the film, not the book as that's mainly concerned with toxic horticulture) and convert one of his phallo-rockets into one that devours the space station then just say "sorry" afterwards?
Can't help wondering
If you are going to all that trouble, why not push it the other way - onwards and upwards? It's only one piece of junk, and would be a great source of raw materials to raid for a permanent space presence. You know, a pair of tin snips and a can of mould killer are a lot cheaper to send up than a ton of metal.
Or, who knows, some pirate might put an atomic-powered cloud silo in there and sod the vacuum and fungus.