NASA Plans to Deorbit ISS by 2030: Paving the Way for Commercial Space Stations

The International Space Station (ISS), a landmark example of cooperation in space, will be deorbited by the year 2030. The station was launched in 1998 with a 15-year limit on its initial mission but has helped substantially in the areas of material, biological, physical, and astronomical research. It is also likely that nearly 4,400 papers will be published based on the over 4,000 experiments that have been carried out there.

The ISS, which has been continuously occupied by a human crew in low-Earth orbit since November 2000, has been cutting-edge through 15 nations taking part. NASA's plan for the station's end-of-life will focus on directing it to a sparse area in the Pacific Ocean, thus opening up the possibility for new space stations with commercial purposes.

NASA's deorbiting has left no room for the absence of a low-Earth orbit human presence as the agency will keep its presence intact through a constant low-Earth orbit spaceflight program. The agency is inviting private companies to construct and run the next generation of space stations that will cater to both research and commercial purposes. Furthermore, NASA has already collaborated with SpaceX and Boeing, spending over $400 million, to guarantee the successful implementation of the commercial agreements.

In 2025, NASA made a call to obtain proposals for Phase 2 space stations that are commercially developed and can accommodate four astronauts for not less than 30 days. NASA which will be a customer paying for the services of the private-operated stations after they have been tested and certified for safety, will then come in.

The ISS saga's conclusion marks the close of a chapter in international space research, however, at the same time it brings up new possibilities for commercial newness, research, and participation of private companies in Low Earth Orbit.