(ORDO NEWS) — NASA says it plans to drop the remnants of the International Space Station (ISS) into the remote Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo in early 2031, after the handover to commercial space stations.
In an updated transition report just presented to Congress, the space agency detailed the final stage of the space station, which has been consistently hosting international crews since 2000, and hinted at what its astronauts will be doing in low Earth orbit after its fiery destruction.
“The private sector is technically and financially capable of developing and operating commercial low-orbit destinations with the help of NASA,” Phil McAllister, NASA’s director of commercial space, said in a press release.
“We look forward to sharing lessons learned and experience with the private sector to help them develop safe, reliable and cost-effective destinations in space.”
The updated report comes a month after NASA announced a decision to extend the life of the station until 2030.
The crew will be on board the station during the first months of the deorbit operation, but the final stages will be performed remotely after the last crew has left, towards the end of 2030.
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