OregonComputerGuy
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Elon Musk's SpaceX has won a NASA contract to de-orbit the International Space Station (ISS).
The aerospace agency announced the deal on Wednesday, and that it will see SpaceX "develop and deliver" a vehicle "that will provide the capability to deorbit the space station and ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas."
https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/27/spacex_wins_iss_deorbit_contract/
duktayp
** sad Boeing noises
taez555
Theshnazzyone
Awwwwww, I hate that the ISS is being decommissioned. It's set to be decommed in 2030 and the next space station will be run by private companies... which sucks.
Ikwilstroopwaffels
Musk is a HUGE security risk since the Starlink clusterfuck. Why is the US having any further dealings with him?
SterlingArcherSecretAgent
No, SpaceX won't be de-orbiting ISS. They're just hired to build the spacecraft for that mission, not actually perform the mission. NASA will do that.
Cinammontoastcrunch
Plus, spaceX doesn't suffer from the same level of Elon meddling as Tesla or twitter does
SterlingArcherSecretAgent
True, but a big part of that is because SpaceX makes a big effort into keeping it like that.
Cinammontoastcrunch
I heard they have a special management team to manage Elon lol
SterlingArcherSecretAgent
Haha I heard the same thing - their sole task is to keep him entertained when he show up, show him all sorts of new and exciting stuff, far away from the actual work!
SithElephant
Will be interesting to see if there is a clause permitting starship to do it if it is approved for serious missions.
glovelyday
Unlikely that much power is required. You just need a reliable retrorocket. Slow it enough to let gravity take over.
SithElephant
Yes, but also if starship is actually reliable and rapidly reusable, the total cost may in fact be lower.
glovelyday
It's like using a tractor-trailer rig to move your sofa.
SithElephant
If the tractor trailer rig can do it for a tenth of the price that it would otherwise cost...
glovelyday
"If". You think a pick-up is more expensive than an 18 wheeler?