International Space Station in orbit. Archive photo.
WASHINGTON – NASA has confirmed that the controlled deorbiting of the International Space Station (ISS) will not endanger populated regions. Stephen Siceloff, a public affairs officer at the John F. Kennedy Space Center, assured that the station`s re-entry plan is designed to be safe.
«This will not impact inhabited areas,» Siceloff stated. «The station is planned to descend into the Pacific Ocean, eliminating any concerns about its landing elsewhere.»
He further elaborated that NASA has commissioned SpaceX to develop a specialized deorbiting spacecraft for the ISS. This will be an uncrewed vehicle, equipped with a spacious cargo bay to facilitate the station`s controlled descent.
The first module of the International Space Station was launched into orbit in November 1998, with the inaugural crew arriving two years later. While the ISS was initially intended to operate until 2020, Russia has extended the operational life of its segment until 2028. Other international partners have also expressed their intention to continue operations through 2030.
According to Dmitry Bakanov, the head of Roscosmos, the comprehensive plan for deorbiting the station is already prepared. He indicated that the entire process is estimated to take approximately two and a half years.
