After more than two decades circling Earth, the International Space Station (ISS) is nearing retirement.
Launched in 1998, this collaborative effort between space agencies like NASA, ESA, and JAXA has served as a crucial stepping stone in humanity’s space exploration journey.
The orbiting lab, easily visible from Earth due to its size and reflective surfaces, has been a temporary home for over 270 astronauts representing 20 countries.
Over its lifespan, the ISS has facilitated over 3,300 scientific experiments, fostering international cooperation and scientific advancement.
However, the unforgiving environment of space has taken its toll, and the ISS is reaching a point where safe operation is no longer feasible.
Therefore, a carefully planned decommissioning process is underway, led by a consortium of space agencies and SpaceX.
After serving as a collaborative scientific marvel for over two decades, the International Space Station (ISS) is approaching its decommissioning.
While futuristic concepts like in-space disassembly and graveyard orbits were considered, the ISS will meet its end in a more fascinating way.
The retirement process will be a meticulously choreographed descent, relying on a combination of natural orbital decay and a nudge from a specially designed spacecraft.
This delicate maneuver will ensure the station’s safe descent into a designated area of the Pacific Ocean, far from land.