Follow Newser on Twitter   Friend Newser on Facebook
Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Space Station Will Plunge Into Pacific After 2020

Station won't be left to become space junk

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 28, 2011 1:20 AM CDT | Updated Jul 28, 2011 5:41 AM CDT

(Newser) – The International Space Station's grave will be a watery one, not a cosmic one. The colossal orbiting outpost will be deliberately crashed into the Pacific Ocean when it reaches the end of its working life some time after 2020, AP reports. "It cannot be left in orbit, it's too complex, too heavy an object. It can leave behind lots of rubbish," the deputy head of Russia's space agency announced yesterday.

The ISS, which consists of more than a dozen modules built by the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agency, was originally scheduled to be destroyed in a controlled descent in 2015, but the US recently extended its life until 2020 and may still seek to keep it going until 2028. Russian space officials say they're not sure what will come after the ISS— but they stress that they believe "serious exploration" of space must involve manned flights.

The International Space Station as seen from a departing space shuttle.
The International Space Station as seen from a departing space shuttle.   (NASA)
This May 23, 2011 photo shows the International Space Station and the docked space shuttle Endeavour, left, at an altitude of approximately 220 miles.
This May 23, 2011 photo shows the International Space Station and the docked space shuttle Endeavour, left, at an altitude of approximately 220 miles.   (AP Photo/NASA, Paolo Nespoli)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
4%
14%
71%
5%
4%
3%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 39 comments
JoeQ
Jul 28, 2011 1:25 PM CDT
It's in a low Earth orbit.  There is an extremely thin atmosphere at that height, just enough to degrade its orbit with time.  If they wanted to, they could give it a nudge when they are docked to it and boost it to a higher orbit, thus slowing the degradation of the orbit.  High enough and the orbit barely degrades at all over time.  There is plenty of room between the height it occupies and the much higher height of geosynchronous satellites.  But there is also the issue of reliability.  It has to be safe to occupy despite regular micro-meteoroid impacts, cosmic radiation, solar radiation, and other forms of space "weather".  Plus things run out, like fuel in attitude jets, water, oxygen, many other expendables.  Since it will become unsafe anyway, the natural thing to do is plan its operational end.
AveMaria
Jul 28, 2011 11:23 AM CDT
Wouldn't it be better to just send the junk into outer space or into a really high orbit where no other satellites and such are rather than to let the junk pollute our oceans?
finkster
Jul 28, 2011 11:02 AM CDT
It's good to know all the money spent is just "water" under the bridge. 

 
space exploration • International Space Station • space travel • Russian Space Agency • space junk • ISS

More Newser Stories

NASA-Backed 'Space Taxi' to Fly Next Year

Shuttle Atlantis Back Home

Astronauts Will Have to Hitch Rides With the Russians

NASA Eyes Endeavor Damage

SpaceX Flight Aborted at Last Second
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Timelines   |   Geek Sugar   |   Business Insider   |   HuffPost Entertainment