13 Things You Didn't Know About the International Space Station

It’ll cost $1 billion to safely destroy the ISS

A view of Cuba, as seen through the space station’s cupola. Photo: NASA

The ISS is scheduled for retirement by 2030, but it won’t be cheap to responsibly dispose of the orbiting lab (the plan is to crash it into an uninhabited part of the Pacific Ocean). A space tug is needed to grab the station and pull it into Earth’s atmosphere for a controlled reentry. Trouble is, the proposed deorbit vehicle is expected to cost $1 billion, as indicated by NASA’s 2024 budget request. That’s an expensive garbage truck, to be sure.

Previous Restart

The ISS Is Out of Parking Spots for the First Time Ever. Here’s Why

All eight docking ports at the ISS are occupied. That's never happened before.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie Dec 5

Northrop Grumman’s 21st Cygnus cargo craft, with its prominent cymbal-shaped UltraFlex solar arrays, is pictured in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm shortly after its capture on Aug. 6, 2024.

Jumbo Cargo Spacecraft Stumbles on Its Inaugural Trip to the ISS

The spacecraft is carrying a record-breaking 11,000 pounds of cargo to the space station.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie Sep 17

Northrop Grumman Tests Most Powerful Segmented Solid Rocket Booster Ever Built Inline

NASA’s Next-Gen Rocket Booster Explodes in Test of a Design That May Never Fly

A video of the static fire test showed a large plume of exhaust burning through part of the booster.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie Jun 27

Damaged Spacecraft Forces NASA to Cancel ISS Cargo Mission

The Cygnus spacecraft sustained damage on its way to the launch site and was deemed unfit to fly.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie Mar 27

NASA’s Bold Plan to Build the First Railway on the Moon

The proposed maglev system could be the key to sustaining human life on the lunar surface.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie May 21

‘An Exciting Challenge’: NASA Plans Rare Repair Spacewalk to Fix Busted Telescope

The space agency has been carrying out tests to make sure the repair work is safe for the ISS astronauts.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie Apr 18