As the ISShurtles towardsthe terminal of its longsighted life , NASA wants to begin researching a ballistic capsule that will take it down from space and channelise it on its fashion tocrashing into the sea . The design would necessitate giving it a light “ distance tug ” out of area at the perfect time for it to enter the atmosphere and touch down at Point Nemo , the furthest location away from any land in the Pacific Ocean .
First reported bySpace.com , the plan was revealed in theWhite House ’s yearly budgetrelease recently , in which the $ 27.2 billion allocation for NASA include a $ 180 million parceling " to initiate development of a fresh distance tugboat " . It would take plaza in 2030 , when the operable lifespan of the ISS officially ends .
The money would go towards a specialized spacecraft for the job , so NASA does not need to rely on Russia ’s Progress load spacecraft to deorbit theISSfor them . It may still be the lead design , but the government agency wishes to have some redundancy just in guinea pig .
While $ 180 million will get the ball rolling , they ’re going to need quite a bit more .
" A price appraisal we had was a little little of about $ 1 billion , " say Kathy Lueders , NASA ’s human spaceflight chief , during a press conference , Space.com describe .
" Our goal is to go out with an RFP [ request for proposals ] , and then , patently , when we get the proposals , then we ’re skip to get a adept price than that . But this gives us a sizeable outset in ' 24 to get that critical capability onboard . "
The ISS would ( hopefully ) allude down in the pelagic perch of inaccessibility , otherwise known asPoint Nemo , which is a location far out in the Pacific Ocean that is trace as the most difficult - to - reach spot in the ocean .
Point Nemo is the farthest point from land possible , which makes it an ideal spot to aim a speeding powerhouse at . As a result , Point Nemo has basically become a “ spacecraft necropolis ” for deorbited junk – and in 2030 , there ’s a good chance the most iconic spacecraft of all metre could finally rest there .
