NASA’s ISS deorbit plan triggers ocean-health warnings
TL;DR
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.
- NASA wants to dump the ISS in the sea. Experts say the plan 'raises serious concerns for ocean health' Space
- The Next Outpost: NASA’s Plans for Replacing the Aging International Space Station U.S. Government Accountability Office (.gov)
- Downing the International Space Station: Current Plan Whips Up Worries by Ocean-health Group Inside Outer Space
- The International Space Station is old and leaky. Should it be decommissioned sooner rather than later? CBC
- Report: De-orbiting the International Space Station – What are the Implications? Inside Outer Space
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