NASA Collaborates with Private Partners to Develop Deorbit Spacecraft for ISS Retirement

NASA has issued a request for proposals to private space companies in the US to design a spacecraft capable of safely deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030. The spacecraft should be able to function on its first flight, possess redundancy and anomaly recovery capabilities, and serve as a "space tug" to lower the ISS's orbit for reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Previously, NASA had considered using Russia's Progress cargo spacecraft for deorbiting, but is now seeking a US capability for redundancy and improved targeting. The development, testing, and certification of the US Deorbit Vehicle will take several years. After the retirement of the ISS, NASA plans to maintain a presence in low Earth orbit through a commercial model.