SpaceX wins $843M NASA contract to de-orbit ISS in 2030

NASA has awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to develop a spacecraft to safely de-orbit the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030. As the ISS nears the end of its operational life, this mission will ensure its safe disposal.

The new U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will differ from SpaceX's existing Dragon capsule, with NASA taking ownership and operating it throughout the mission. The spacecraft and the ISS will break up upon reentry, and SpaceX's challenge will be to ensure no populated areas are endangered.

While NASA and its partners initially considered using a Russian spacecraft for the de-orbit mission, they concluded a new vehicle was needed. The safe de-orbiting of the ISS is a shared responsibility among the five space agencies involved, though it's unclear if the $843 million is a joint contribution.