The NASA plans the possibility of withdrawing the International Space Station (ISS) at the end of this decade. For this reason, the US agency is collaborating with various private companies in order to build new space stations in orbit .
The test consists of placing noise generators around the satellite.
This is how the ‘endurance’ of a satellite is pushed to the limit to verify that it will withstand the noise of the rocket when it is put into orbit
With this decision, they hope to save more than a billion dollars annually. The ISS costs NASA approximately $ 4 billion a year to operate and has been in operation for more than 20 years.
The International Space Station is approved to continue to perform its functions until 2024, however, its useful life can be extended until the end of 2028 . For this reason, the director of commercial space flights at NASA, Phil McAlister, explained to CNBC that his plans are to withdraw the ISS at the end of the decade and bet on ” commercial space destinations .”
LEO Destinations Commercial Project
Earlier this year, the US space agency announced its new Commercial LEO Destinations project . Through it, NASA wants to offer up to 400 million total dollars to four private companies with the aim of creating private space stations.
As McAlister clarified, the agency ” received approximately a dozen proposals ” from different companies to sign contracts and be part of the project.
” We got an incredibly strong response from the industry to our announcement of proposals for free commercial travelers going directly to orbit, ” commented the director of commercial space flight.
Initially, McAlister assures that NASA intends to announce those chosen for the project ” before the end of the year “, but he is ” pressing for it to be done sooner .”
In addition, he clarified that the agency “will not need anything as large and capable ” as the ISS. So even if private companies build “ very large ” space stations , NASA will only pay for the part it needs.
The modules of the ISS that will become a private space station
The Thales Alenia Space company has been contracted by Axiom Space in order to build the first two modules of its space station. This will be the first to be created for commercial purposes, but before becoming a private station, it will be part of the International Space Station.
The two modules will first be docked to the ISS and then go on to form a commercial space station.The two modules will first be docked to the ISS and then go on to form a commercial space station.Thales Alenia Space
As planned, the modules will be docked to the ISS when they are launched in 2024 . However, Axiom will remove them from the station at the end of its useful life, in order to operate freely as a commercial space station.
On the left, a sample of the material you plan to use.
Astronauts could use their own blood, sweat and urine to make the concrete with which to build bases on Mars
Walter Cugno, director of science and exploration at Thales Alenia Space, has highlighted that they have experience in the manufacture of these modules, since they have previously supplied pressurized elements for the ISS .
The deputy general director of the company, Massimo Comparini, has detailed that ” this mission is an important step to allow the development of independent commercial destinations and promote the growth of a strong and competitive economy for low Earth orbit .”
