Since November 2000, astronauts have been living on the International Space Station to conduct research and learn more about space and the universe. However, that mission is coming to an end.
But after orbiting for around 30 years in 2030, the ISS will come crashing to earth.
According to a press release from NASA, the ISS will be “de-orbited” and fall to earth at around 17,000 miles, likely creating a firey blaze on its way down.
Thankfully, it won’t come crashing into any area of earth inhabited by humans. Instead, it’ll fall into Point Nemo, a spot in the South Pacific 1,600+ miles from land on all sides.
According to the NOAA, Point Nemo is the location in the ocean that is farthest from land and has historically been used as a “graveyard” for old space equipment.
While some speculated that a new ISS would be sent into orbit, NASA revealed that it’ll actually be taking a new approach to space exploration with commercial flights. Once the ISS is no longer in orbit, NASA will book flights for its astronauts on commercial flights and profitable projects will be more heavily pursued.
They explaiend that until 2030, the U.S. will work to develop commercial destinations and markets for a thriving space economy.
The @Space_Station has provided a unique opportunity for research and results for more than 20 years — that’s a lot of science!
The Biden-Harris Administration has extended operations for the orbital lab until 2030. Find out what we'll be prepping for: https://t.co/zk6B5JIz9f pic.twitter.com/FMcmj0hfen
— NASA (@NASA) January 31, 2022
In the press release, NASA’s director of commercial space, Phil McAlister, said, “We look forward to sharing our lessons learned and operations experience with the private sector to help them develop safe, reliable, and cost-effective destinations in space.”
The release added, “Commercial destinations, along with commercial crew and cargo transportation, will provide the backbone of the low-Earth orbit economy after the International Space Station retires.”
While there may not be an international space station for astronauts to live at, it’s possible that by the late 2020s, commercial flights and space stations will be more prevalent.