The International Space Station (ISS) is approaching the end of its operational life. NASA has committed to operating the ISS through 2030, after which plans are in place for its decommissioning.
NASA has contracted SpaceX to perform a “controlled reentry” by steering the station into a descent towards the Earth’s atmosphere. During reentry, much of the ISS is expected to burn up, with any remaining debris falling into the designated remote ocean area.
Newsweek contacted NASA for more information via email.
Why It Matters
The ISS represents the longest international cooperation on space exploration in history, with contributions from Russia, Canada, the U.S., Europe and Japan all being used to maintain and man the station. Its retirement will symbolize the end of this collaborative period and could herald a more competitive international space industry.
The Space Stations That Could Replace The ISS
Tiangong
- Launch: 2021
- Operated by: China Manned Space Agency
At only one-third the size of the ISS, Tiangong doesn’t have the same research infrastructure, but this Chinese space station has expansions planned for 2026 that will see a space telescope module attached to it.
First launched in 2021, Tiangong was conceived as a result of NASA barring China from collaborating on the ISS. It has an expected lifespan of 15 years, meaning it will still be in orbit beyond 2030. Once the ISS is dismantled, it will be the largest space station in operation.
Axiom
- Launch: Late 2020s
- Operated by: Axiom Space
Axiom is one of the most ambitious space station projects in the pipeline, aiming to get four modules assembled in space by the time the ISS is retired. Axiom is also planning to be the first commercial space station, with round trips to the ISS run by Axiom already costing an estimated $55 million.
Starlab
- Launch: 2028
- Operated by: Voyager and Airbus
A joint venture between Airbus in Europe and Voyager in the U.S., the Starlab Space Station has one of the tightest deadlines of any space station in the works today, with plans to launch initial modules in 2028.
It will feature an interior designed by the hospitality company Hilton, and will be able to support up to four astronauts at one time, compared to the ISS’s seven.
Bharatiya Antariksha
- Launch: 2035
- Operated by: Indian Space Research Organization
India’s first major attempt to enter the space industry will begin in 2028, when the initial stages of the Bharatiya Antariksha station enter orbit. Despite facing delays of half a decade, the project remains one of the most ambitious in the scene, with the station featuring five modules and a capacity of 6 astronauts—just one less than the ISS.
Lunar Gateway
- Launch: 2032
- Operated by: NASA, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre.
The Lunar Gateway is the project that is most likely to replace the ISS in terms of its reputation for international collaboration. With input from space agencies in the U.S., Europe, Japan, Canada, and the UAE, the station will be manned by astronauts from three continents.
Additionally, the Lunar Gateway will be the first station to orbit a body that isn’t Earth; instead, it will orbit the moon, with the hope that it will be a staging base for the Artemis Program, which is NASA’s long-term commitment to returning to the satellite.
Haven-2
- Launch: 2032
- Operated by: Vast
Managed by a private Californian space company, the Haven-2 station bills itself as a direct successor to the ISS, even claiming to “surpass” it in several ways. The station will be constructed from modules launching every 6 months in the late 2020s.
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