NASA plans to develop a spacecraft capable of launching the International Space Station to controlled destruction in Earth’s atmosphere, when time runs out in orbit.

The project has an initial budget of $180 million, but is estimated to grow tenfold. This tugboat was able to safely bring the space station in across the open ocean Dot Nemoafter the end of its operational life in 2030, as well as possibly other activities.

“A cost estimate we had was just under $1 billion.said Kathy Lueders, NASA’s chief of human spaceflight, at a news conference. “Our goal is to come out with an RFP [solicitud de propuestas]and if we get the proposals, we obviously hope to get a better price.”

The current plan to bring down the station safely relies on burning the engines of the Progress robotic cargo vehicles., which are supplied by Russia. “But we are also developing this US capability as a way to have redundancy and to better assist with vehicle orientation and safe vehicle reentry, especially as we add more modules,” said Lueders.

Opened in 1998, this station is designed to last fifteen years, so until 2013. In the beginning, there was no deadline for its operation. Everything would depend on his performance in the years to come.

NASA’s decision to end the station’s operations is based on this the useful life has expired.

The end of the station’s operation has long been considered something definite. To level up economic and bureaucraticone of the station’s big blows was the withdrawal of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, which will be in the facilities until 2024. However, the remaining partners have signed on to remain active until 2030.

Further, it would be complicated as there have been numerous technical incidents as well.

The NASA agency assures that while the systems — such as power, environmental control, and life support — can be repaired and replaced in orbit, each new docking and undocking of modules brings more stress and problems, especially with some of the Russian modules, including repeated leaks, which are starting to rise. Although he says that the security checks of the superstructure have shown that it is safe until 2030.