In Nova Scotia, historical buildings, like Alexander Graham Bell’s residence, are often transformed into museums or national historic sites to safeguard their legacy for future generations. But what about preserving a colossal structure, equivalent to a football field, orbiting 400 kilometers above the Earth?
NASA’s official strategy involves deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) at the conclusion of its operational life. This process entails guiding the station on a controlled descent back into Earth’s atmosphere for a controlled crash in a distant ocean location. However, recent developments within the U.S. Government have prompted a call for NASA to reassess this plan and explore the feasibility of maintaining the ISS in low Earth orbit instead.
Since its inception in 2000, the ISS has hosted numerous astronauts and cosmonauts from the U.S., Russia, Canada, Europe, and Japan. Assembled through a series of space shuttle and Russian launches, the ISS, with a mass exceeding 400 metric tonnes, stands as the largest scientific laboratory ever launched into space, conducting a multitude of experiments under unique microgravity conditions.
In a recent announcement, NASA disclosed plans to decommission the ISS by 2030 and deorbit it in 2031. As part of the current approach, SpaceX will utilize a rocket to guide the ISS on a trajectory towards re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, where it will disintegrate over a remote Pacific region, mirroring the fate of its predecessor, the Russian Space Station MIR.
However, concerns have arisen regarding this approach. U.S. Rep. George Whitesides presented a proposal to explore alternative options before committing the ISS to a fiery demise, garnering initial bipartisan support. The complexity of the ISS poses challenges in its preservation, as neglecting the station would inevitably lead to an uncontrolled re-entry.
Proposals to boost the ISS to a higher orbit face logistical hurdles and risks of catastrophic collisions with space debris. Furthermore, sustaining the ISS demands constant maintenance to ensure operational integrity. Despite efforts to solicit interest from private entities to assume control of the ISS, no viable proposals have materialized, raising questions about the station’s future.
While NASA shifts its focus towards lunar and Martian exploration, the concept of orbiting space stations remains relevant. Countries like China have operational space stations, and private enterprises plan to launch their versions, including concepts for giant space hotels. The bill proposed by Rep. Whitesides seeks further exploration of alternative strategies for the ISS, highlighting the ongoing debate over the station’s fate after three decades of service and a significant financial investment.
Ultimately, the fate of the ISS, valued at $100 billion US, appears destined for atmospheric incineration and oceanic descent, unless innovative solutions emerge to preserve this iconic space laboratory.
