SpaceX CEO and heading of the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ) Elon Musk hassaidhe wants to deorbit the International Space Station " as shortly as possible " , pushing it towards the Earth geezerhood forrader of schedule .

Humans have been livingcontinuously in spacefor nearly 25 year , with astronaut and cosmonauts live aboard the spacecraft since cosmonaut Bill Shepherd and cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev first board the International Space Station ( ISS ) on Halloween , 2000 .

But all expert things must descend to an end , and in 2024,NASA began planningfor the final stage of the revolve research laboratory ’s living . The American outer space agency announced in June that they had select Musk ’s SpaceX to modernize and build the Deorbit Vehicle that will be used to lend the space station safely down to Earth , a contract deserving around $ 843 million .

" Selecting a US Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will facilitate NASA and its external partner ensure a secure and responsible changeover in low Earth orbit at the end of station operation . This conclusion also supports NASA ’s plans for next commercial-grade destinations and earmark for the keep function of space near Earth , " Ken Bowersox , associate decision maker for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington , tell in astatementat the fourth dimension . " The orbital lab remains a pattern for scientific discipline , geographic expedition , and partnerships in space for the benefit of all . "

The planned deorbit was scheduled for 2030 . The initial pieces of the ISS were launch in 1998 , and by the prison term procedure are over in 2030 , they will have been in infinite for two years longer than their planned life-time . It is these parts , forming the structure of the quad place , that mean the ISS can not carry on beyond 2030 .

" Much of the space station can be repaired or replaced in orbit , while other parts can be returned to the footing for repair and relaunched . These parts let in the solar arrays , communications equipment , life support equipment , and science hardware,“NASA explains . " However , the primary structure of the post , such as the crew modules and the truss structures , can not be repaired or replaced practically . "

While NASA – with its international partner – be after to continue to use the outer space station up to 2030 , Musk says that he would care to bring the station down three years ahead of schedule .

" It is fourth dimension to begin preparation for deorbiting the @Space_Station . It has serve its intention . There is very lilliputian incremental utility . Let ’s go to Mars , " he write onX , add , " The decision is up to the President , but my testimonial is as soon as possible . I urge 2 years from now . "

Musk has been reasonably consistent in his views that the US space agency should focalise ongoing to Mars . However , as highlight by theOrlando Sentinel , deorbiting the ISS ahead of time could give SpaceX a further vantage over Boeing .

SpaceX has been running cargo missions to the blank station twice a year , as well as delivering crew to and from Earth . Boeing was supposed to begin share these resupply missionary work using its Starliner ship , take over it could get thetroubled spaceshipup to regulations , with up to six trips contract .

If the ISS is deorbited by 2027 , these trip would be unneeded . SpaceX missions to the ISS would be delete too , though an former deorbit potentially imply an earlier cashflow injection . With President Donald Trump ’s pickax for NASA administrator being Jared Isaacman , a billionaire withclose ties to Elon Musk , Musk might be hop that further contracts will be on the board . Without Boeing in the picture , SpaceX would maintain its current advantage in individual space travel .

It is also undecipherable whether the US would be capable to deorbit the ISS without the backing of the four other agencies involved . The International Space Station is , as the name intelligibly submit , international .

" The place was project to be interdependent and trust on part from across the partnership to work . The United States , Japan , Canada , and the participating countries of ESA have charge to operating the station through 2030 . Russia has committed to go on station surgical procedure through at least 2028,“NASA saidin June 2024 . " The dependable deorbit of the International Space Station is the obligation of all five space agency . "

With no replacement , the astronauts aboard China ’s Tiangong blank space place will become humankind ’s only lasting presence in distance . Musk on the face of it want that point to get a little sooner than planned .