NASA’s ISS deorbit plan triggers ocean-health warnings

NASA plans to deorbit the International Space Station in the late 2020s by lowering it via atmospheric drag and a SpaceX-built US Deorbit Vehicle that will push the station toward Point Nemo in the South Pacific. A GAO report flags a potential gap in continuous human presence in low Earth orbit, while The Ocean Foundation warns the debris could threaten deep-sea ecosystems and urges environmental impact assessments and stronger international protections under UNCLOS, the London Protocol, and the BBNJ treaty.