NASA on Wednesday said it had selected SpaceX (SPACE) for a contract worth up to $843 million to develop a vehicle that will deorbit the International Space Station and ensure the avoidance of risk to populated areas.
SpaceX will develop the U.S. deorbit vehicle, and NASA will take ownership after development and operate it throughout its mission. The launch service for the spacecraft will be a future procurement.
NASA said the safe deorbit of the ISS will be undertaken by it, CSA, ESA, JAXA, and State Space Corporation Roscosmos.
The United States, Japan, Canada, and the participating countries of ESA have committed to operating the station through 2030, while Russia has committed to continuing station operations through at least 2028, NASA said in a statement.
Source: Press release