NASA Seeks Innovative Solutions for International Space Station's Fiery Descent

NASA is seeking proposals from U.S. industry for a "space tug" to safely deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in the early 2030s. The agency plans to use a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) to steer the ISS into Earth's atmosphere. After the ISS program concludes, industry-led space stations will take over, and NASA wants a new spacecraft solution to provide more robust capabilities for responsible deorbit. The USDV will be responsible for deorbiting the U.S. segment, while the other international partners will handle their sections. Proposals for the USDV are due on Nov. 17.