The International Space Station (ISS) has achieved a momentous milestone, marking 25 years of continuous human presence in orbit. This significant anniversary occurred on November 2. However, the future of the ISS is limited as NASA and its international partners prepare for its deorbiting by late 2030.
Final Resting Spot: Point Nemo
The ISS will be deorbited over a remote area known as Point Nemo, located in the Pacific Ocean. This site, acknowledged as a “spacecraft cemetery,” is designated for safely disposing of decommissioned spacecraft. Point Nemo was named after the fictional captain from Jules Verne’s novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and is situated at coordinates 48°52.6′S 123°23.6′W.
The Significance of Point Nemo
- Approximately 2,688 kilometers (1,670 miles) from the nearest land.
- Surrounded by Ducie Island, Motu Nui, and Maher Island.
- Chosen for its remoteness to minimize risk to human life and infrastructure.
This geographic isolation has made Point Nemo a preferred site for disposing of hundreds of large spacecraft throughout history. Mission planners favor it for its safety from populated regions.
Decommissioning Timeline and Process
The deorbiting process will utilize a modified version of SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule. NASA expects a sequence of events during reentry: initial separation of solar arrays and radiators, followed by the breakup of intact modules and the truss segment. Finally, fragmentation of individual modules will occur.
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| Solar Array and Radiator Separation | Initial steps of deorbiting. |
| Truss Breakup | Separation of intact segments. |
| Module Fragmentation | Final breakup during atmospheric reentry. |
During this reentry phase, most station hardware is anticipated to burn up or vaporize. However, denser components, such as truss sections, may survive the intense heat and splash down safely within the uninhabited region of the ocean.
Lessons from Past Reentries
Historical reentries of similar large spacecraft offer important insights for the ISS deorbiting plan. For instance, Russia successfully guided the Mir space station to a controlled descent over Point Nemo in March 2001. However, NASA’s Skylab faced issues during its attempted descent in July 1979, scattering debris over Western Australia, which resulted in a fine for littering.
Given that the ISS weighs approximately 460 tons and extends the length of a football field, it will exceed Mir’s record as the largest vehicle to be intentionally brought down at Point Nemo.
