Report: Shaky Future of the International Space Station

NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson, Expedition 24 flight engineer, seems by a window within the Cupola of the Worldwide House Station. Credit score: NASA

NASA’s Workplace of Inspector Common (OIG) has launched a report that assesses NASA’s progress in maximizing utilization of the Worldwide House Station to perform its human exploration aims and examines the challenges related to transitioning the Station to industrial operations and its eventual retirement.

The report, NASA’s Administration and Utilization of the Worldwide House Station, questions whether or not a ample enterprise case exists beneath which non-public firms will be capable to develop a self-sustaining and profit-making enterprise unbiased of great Federal funding throughout the subsequent 6 years.

Worldwide House Station
Credit score: NASA

Annual

The OIG stories factors out that any extension of the ISS previous 2024 would require continued funding within the neighborhood of $Three-$four billion yearly to function and preserve the Station – a good portion of which may in any other case be redirected to develop techniques wanted for NASA’s cislunar or deep area ambitions.

As well as, the OIG explains that extending the Station’s life would problem NASA to handle the dangers related to continued operation of the Station’s ageing techniques and infrastructure. Moreover, any extension would require the help of NASA’s worldwide companions, whose continued participation hinges on points starting from geopolitics to differing area exploration targets.

NASA at present doesn’t have the aptitude to make sure the ISS will reenter the Earth’s environment and land in a focused location within the South Pacific Ocean.
Credit score: NASA

ISS deorbit

Lastly, at some future date NASA might want to decommission and deorbit the ISS both in response to an emergency or on the finish of its helpful life. Nevertheless, the Company at present doesn’t have the aptitude to make sure the ISS will reenter the Earth’s environment and land in a focused location within the South Pacific Ocean.

For a duplicate of the OIG report, NASA’s Administration and Utilization of the Worldwide House Station, go to:

https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-18-021.pdf