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Elon Musk Calls for ISS to be Dismantled: 'Too Old'
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Tech billionaire Elon Musk has said that he wants the International Space Station taken out of orbit within two years.
The SpaceX CEO said that the ISS was facing long-term safety issues that meant it was no longer feasible to maintain the space station for longer than two years, and called for it to be "deorbited."
Why It Matters
The ISS represents the longest international cooperation on space exploration in history, with contributions from Russia, Canada, the U.S, Europe and Japan all being used to maintain and man the station. NASA has committed to operating the ISS through 2030, but SpaceX has already been contracted to perform a "controlled reentry" by steering the station into a descent toward the Earth's atmosphere.
What To Know
Musk called for this timeline, which would see the ISS in use until the end of the decade, to be accelerated, describing the current status of the station as risky.
"There are potentially serious concerns about the long-term safety of the ISS," Musk said on his social media site X on Friday morning.
"Some parts of it are simply getting too old and obviously that risk grows over time. Even though SpaceX earns billions of dollars from transporting astronauts and cargo to the ISS, I nonetheless would like to go on record recommending that it be de-orbited within 2 years."
The statement came in response to a report that NASA had delayed the Axiom Mission 4, which was meant to launch on Wednesday, indefinitely due to a leak in the ISS's Zvezda module.
Elon Musk speaks during a press conference after the launch of SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo mission at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 2, 2019.
Elon Musk speaks during a press conference after the launch of SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo mission at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 2, 2019.
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The module was built in 1985 and was integrated into the ISS in 2000, making it over two decades old.
SpaceX is a major partner in NASA's space exploration plans, and their Dragon flights regularly refuel the ISS while also escorting astronauts to and from the station.
When astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were left on the ISS for longer than expected after a Boeing aircraft that was meant to take them back to Earth malfunctioned, it was a SpaceX flight that brought them home.
What People Are Saying
NASA, in a statement on the future of the ISS, said: "In the future, the United States plans to transition its operations in low Earth orbit to commercially-owned and -operated destinations to ensure continued access to essential research and technology development.
"At the conclusion of the International Space Station Program, the station will be deorbited in a controlled manner to ensure avoidance of populated areas on Earth. The station's safe deorbit is the shared responsibility of the five space agencies."
What Happens Next
NASA has not indicated that the 2030 commitment to maintaining the ISS has changed.
