International Space Station to Be Decommissioned in 2030

Kokcha News Agency: NASA has revealed plans to decommission the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030 by guiding it into Earth’s atmosphere, where it will safely crash into a remote area of the Pacific Ocean. Launched in 1998 and continuously occupied since 2000, the ISS has been one of humanity’s greatest scientific collaborations, hosting over 4,000 experiments and nearly 300 astronauts from 26 countries.

The ISS has been a hub for groundbreaking research, including advancements in cancer drug crystallization, artificial retina development, DNA sequencing, and optical fiber production. Its legacy as a symbol of international cooperation and scientific progress will remain unmatched.

After the ISS is retired, NASA and its international partners will not withdraw from low Earth orbit. Instead, the agency has invested over $400 million in private sector initiatives to develop commercial space stations. Companies like SpaceX, Boeing, Axiom Space, Blue Origin, and Starlab are already working on next-generation modules.

The goal is to test these private stations, capable of hosting four-person crews for at least 30 days, before the ISS is decommissioned. NASA plans to “purchase services” from these commercial stations, similar to its current approach with cargo and astronaut transportation.

Meanwhile, China’s Tiangong space station, operational since 2021, will continue to serve as the world’s only long-term human-occupied space station after the ISS is retired.

The ISS will remain in orbit until 2030, continuing to be one of the brightest objects in the night sky. It will be remembered as a symbol of collective human ingenuity and collaboration. NASA aims to carry forward the ISS’s legacy through commercial stations and leverage the experience gained for future missions to the Moon and Mars.