NASA announces contract up to $843 million to deorbit the ISS
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced a contract valued at up to $843 million on June 26, 2024, to build a spacecraft designed for a one-way mission: pushing the International Space Station out of orbit for a controlled atmospheric reentry once operations end around 2030.
Contract Limits Costs but Excludes Rocket Prices
The single-source contract establishes a financial ceiling rather than a final bill, and it excludes the cost of the rocket, which the agency purchases separately. SpaceX will develop and deliver the vehicle, which the U.S. government will own and operate. While the initial announcement lacked design specifics, SpaceNews reported that the hardware will derive from the existing Dragon cargo spacecraft used to supply the station.
The total financial commitment extends beyond the base award. SpacePolicyOnline reported in July 2024 that building and launching the vehicle would require roughly $1.5 billion. For fiscal year 2024, the agency requested $180 million for the project, though lawmakers appropriated nothing for that request.
Managing a 420-Tonne Structure at 400 Kilometers
The station weighs roughly 420 tonnes, equivalent to about 280 vehicles weighing 1.5 tonnes each, and orbits approximately 400 kilometers above the planet. Space Daily analyzed that the deorbit vehicle must move a structure significantly heavier than itself without exceeding structural limits on aging modules and trusses. The vehicle must dock, assist with attitude control, and execute final descent maneuvers.
The agency evaluated and discarded alternatives including dismantling and returning pieces, storing the station in a higher orbit, or allowing an uncontrolled natural decay, according to SpaceNews. Officials ultimately selected a dedicated U.S. vehicle to guide the complex down over an isolated ocean region.
A standard cargo Dragon lacks the necessary capacity. Public descriptions indicate the deorbit craft will feature an extended trunk equipped with 46 Draco thrusters—up from 16 on standard models—and six times the propellant. Public records show the project was initiated partly out of concern over a sudden Russian withdrawal, which would have left remaining partners with limited options for a controlled descent. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel had urged the agency for years to acquire an independent capability. Meanwhile, reports from April 2026 outline a strategy combining the specialized U.S. vehicle with two Russian Progress cargo craft. Ocean experts have raised questions regarding the descent, noting that while most material will burn up, dense or heat-resistant components could reach the surface.
An Evolving Timeline Toward 2030
Operations are targeted to end around 2030, though the actual descent may slip into early 2031. According to a 2026 report by the Government Accountability Office, the agency plans to decide in 2027 whether to launch the vehicle in 2029 to begin the descent or to extend the station’s lifespan. That decision hinges on the readiness of commercial successors, one of which must demonstrate a 30-day mission with four astronauts by 2030.
Dana Weigel, the program manager, explained in July 2024 that the station’s orbit would naturally degrade for 12 to 18 months before the vehicle activates, with crew members remaining on board for maintenance as long as possible. The GAO warned that leaving the facility uncrewed increases the risk of a severe failure and an uncontrolled reentry. Legislative changes remain possible as well. Scientific American reported that a Senate committee advanced a bill proposing an extension through 2032 and barring the agency from deorbiting the station until a replacement is operational.
Despite these variables, development continues. The agency’s 2027 budget request cited by Space Daily confirms that cost and schedule baselines were approved in February 2026, advancing the project into formal development with a scheduled delivery date in late 2028.