Why NASA will crash the $150 billion space station into the Pacific in 2031
Labanya Maitra
TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Aug 4, 2025, 16:33 IST IST
NASA is planning a controlled crash of the ISS in 2031 — marking a shift from government space labs to private orbital outposts
After nearly three decades of circling the Earth and hosting astronauts from around the world, the International Space Station ( ISS ) is set to retire in 2031 — with NASA planning to crash it (a controlled deorbit) into a remote part of the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo .
The decision marks the end of a historic era in space collaboration and signals a shift in strategy for the new space station : from government-run infrastructure to privately operated. But why retire something that still works? And what exactly happens when you deorbit a 430-tonne lab flying at 28,000 kmph?
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