International Space Station’s journey to end by 2030:NASA to deorbit it into Pacific Ocean; operation to cost ₹9,500 cr

International Space Station (ISS), which has been operating about 400 kilometres above Earth as humanity’s largest space laboratory for the past 25 years, has now entered its final phase. NASA has unveiled its plan to safely deorbit the station between 2028 and 2030. The agency has allocated around $1 billion (approximately ₹9,500 crore) for the operation. The ISS has already exceeded its originally planned lifespan, with its mission extended several times over the years. In recent years, the station has faced recurring technical issues, while maintaining its safety has required billions of dollars in spending. NASA now wants to focus its resources on future Moon and Mars missions. As a result, the agency has decided to retire the ISS in a safe and controlled manner. How will the space station’s journey end? The ISS, which weighs around 450,000 kilograms, will not simply be allowed to fall back to Earth uncontrolled. Around 2028, the process of keeping the station in orbit will gradually be phased out. A specially designed spacecraft will then guide it into Earth’s atmosphere in a controlled manner. As it re-enters the atmosphere, most of the station will burn up due to intense friction. However, some larger fragments could still survive re-entry and potentially reach the Earth’s surface. To minimise any risk to populated areas, NASA has selected a remote region of the Pacific Ocean where the remaining debris is expected to fall after re-entry. According to NASA, the ISS will be deliberately brought down over an area in the South Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo. The location has long been used as a disposal site for decommissioned space stations, satellites and other space debris. Ships are generally kept away from the surrounding area during such operations, and there are no inhabited settlements nearby. Since 1971, nearly 300 pieces of space hardware and debris have been directed to this region, most of them originating from US and Russian space programmes. Over 250 astronauts from 19 countries have visited the ISS The International Space Station (ISS) is equipped with all the facilities needed for astronauts to live and work in space. It can accommodate 6 to 8 astronauts at a time, who typically stay for about six months. Large spacecraft launched from Earth regularly dock with the station. So far, more than 250 astronauts from 19 countries have visited the ISS. Private space stations to replace the ISS As the ISS approaches the end of its operational life, several private companies are developing commercial space stations under NASA-backed programmes. Major projects include Haven-2 by Vast, Axiom Space Station by Axiom Space, and Orbital Reef by Blue Origin. China has already established its own space station in orbit, while the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working on plans to launch India’s own space station by 2035.