Historic structures, like Alexander Graham Bell’s residence in Nova Scotia, often transform into museums or national historic landmarks to protect their legacy for future generations. But what about preserving a structure the size of a football field that orbits 400 kilometers above Earth?
NASA’s formal strategy involves deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) at the end of its operation, directing it on a controlled reentry back into Earth’s atmosphere to crash in a distant ocean location. Recently, U.S. government members proposed legislation urging NASA to reconsider this plan and explore the feasibility of maintaining the ISS in low Earth orbit.
Since 2000, the ISS has hosted numerous astronauts from the U.S., Russia, Canada, Europe, and Japan, conducting a multitude of experiments unique to a microgravity environment. Assembled through multiple space missions, the ISS, weighing over 400 metric tons, stands as the largest scientific laboratory launched into space.
With its useful lifespan nearing its end, NASA announced in January 2022 that the ISS will be retired in 2030 and deorbited in 2031, with SpaceX slated to guide it on a controlled descent into the Pacific. However, some, including U.S. Rep. George Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff, advocate for exploring alternatives to the fiery demise of the ISS.
Preserving the ISS poses challenges, as its orbit must be regularly adjusted to counteract atmospheric drag. Simply abandoning the station is not an option, as it would eventually plummet to Earth unpredictably. Boosting it to a higher orbit demands significant fuel and risks collisions with space debris, potentially exacerbating the space debris issue.
Though NASA sought private entities to take over the ISS, no viable proposals emerged, hinting at the challenges of upkeep versus constructing new facilities. Despite NASA’s lunar and Martian exploration priorities, orbiting space stations remain relevant, with China’s Tiangong station operational and private ventures planning space habitats.
Rep. Whitesides’ proposal prompts further investigation into alternative solutions for the ISS, acknowledging the financial and operational complexities of preserving it as a heritage site. The likelihood remains that after three decades of service and a $100 billion investment, the ISS may meet its end in the upper atmosphere, ultimately descending into the Pacific Ocean, unless a superior strategy emerges.