The International Space Station (ISS), a collaborative project involving NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA, has been continuously inhabited since November 2000. NASA's official International Space Station Transition Plan outlines the intention to decommission the station in 2030 and perform a controlled deorbit into the South Pacific Ocean in early 2031. The agency plans to use a specially developed US Deorbit Vehicle for this operation.
This planned retirement coincides with efforts by NASA and international partners to foster a commercial space station market in low-Earth orbit. Companies like Axiom Space, Voyager Space, and Blue Origin are developing private stations, with Axiom's modules initially intended to attach to the ISS before becoming a free-flying outpost. NASA's Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development (CLD) program aims to ensure a seamless transition from the ISS to private destinations.
The aging station has faced technical challenges, including air leaks in the Russian segment, which have been periodically addressed by crews. The transition to commercial stations is designed to reduce costs for NASA, allowing the agency to focus its resources on deep-space exploration missions to the Moon and Mars.
