Humanity is about to close a remarkable chapter in space history. Since 2000, astronauts have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station (ISS), which has conducted groundbreaking
research and shown how global collaboration can be achieved in orbit. But the station’s journey will end in 2030.
According to a report in NTD, in 2030, the year the ISS turns 30, NASA will deorbit the space station and send it safely into a remote part of the Pacific Ocean.
A Legacy Of Research And Collaboration
The ISS stands as one of the greatest achievements in space history. Since the early 2000s, it has been continuously occupied with astronauts from the US, Russia, Europe, Japan, Canada and most recently, India, who have lived and worked in orbit around the clock.
The ISS has been a centre for scientific research over the past 25 years. Scientists have conducted more than 4,000 experiments. The studies have led to thousands of research papers that have helped improve and advance life on Earth while preparing for future space missions.
What Comes After The ISS
NASA and its international partners are already preparing for life after the ISS. Instead of leaving low-Earth orbit empty, the agency is supporting the creation of privately owned, commercially operated space stations. NASA has long worked with commercial partners to deliver supplies to the ISS, and more recently, it has partnered with SpaceX and Boeing to transport astronauts using the Dragon and Starliner spacecraft.
Building on the success of these programs, NASA has invested over US$400 million to encourage companies to develop new space stations, Science Alert reported. The goal is to have them ready and operating before the ISS is decommissioned in 2030.
“NASA has led in low Earth orbit for 25 years and counting. Now, as we prepare for deorbiting the International Space Station in 2030, we’re calling on our commercial space partners to maintain this historic human presence. The American space industry is booming. Insight from these innovative companies will be invaluable as we work to chart the next phase of commercial space stations,” said NASA Administrator Sean Duffy as quoted by NTD.
Duffy also noted that NASA’s “Phase 2 Announcement for Partnership Proposals” lays out plans for the next step: “The ability of private industry to take on the task of providing routine utilisation of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and maintaining a continuous U.S. presence in space is of vital importance to both NASA and U.S. goals.”
According to Science Alert, NASA’s Phase 2 proposal calls for private companies to demonstrate stations that can safely host four people for at least 30 days in orbit. Once these designs pass strict safety checks, NASA can buy missions and services from these stations.
The program also works alongside the Johnson Space Centre’s Commercial LEO Development Program, which will help develop new destinations in orbit.
China’s Growing Presence In Orbit
As new commercial space stations are developed, China’s Tiangong space station continues to host astronauts in orbit. This permanently crewed station, designed for three people, circles the Earth at about 250 miles (402 km) above the surface.
If the ISS retires and its streak of continuous occupation ends, Tiangong will take over as the longest continually inhabited space station in operation.
