On Thursday, SpaceX’s Elon Musk made a striking comment: he believes the International Space Station (ISS) should be deorbited “as soon as possible.” This statement is likely to stir up discussions in the global space community.
Musk’s remark seems serious this time, not just another provocative tweet. He suggested that the time has come to prepare to bring the ISS down, stating, “It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars,” he tweeted.
This calls attention to an ongoing plan. Last July, NASA awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to modify a Dragon spacecraft. This vehicle will help guide the aging station safely into the Pacific Ocean by 2030. So, preparations for shutting down the ISS are already in motion.
I asked Musk if he wanted NASA and the U.S. government to stick with the 2030 timeline or speed things up. His response? “The decision is up to the President, but my recommendation is as soon as possible. I recommend 2 years from now,” he said.
Essentially, Musk suggests that the ISS could come down by early 2027. This could reshape future space plans significantly.
Political Impacts
The politics behind this idea are complex. For example, any move to end the ISS would likely need support from Congress, where key figures, like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), have long backed the station’s existence. Cruz’s office has not yet commented on Musk’s statement.
