NASA's 2024 Budget Request Includes Development Of ISS De-Orbit Vehicle - Document

NASA's next year budget request includes funding for the International Space Station (ISS) de-orbit vehicle, the document released on Monday said

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th March, 2023) NASA's next year budget request includes funding for the International Space Station (ISS) de-orbit vehicle, the document released on Monday said.

"The FY 2024 budget request includes funds for development of an ISS de-orbit vehicle included in the Space Transportation Theme, that will be competitively awarded to U.S. industry," the budget request said. "The planned transfer of work from Deep Space Exploration Systems to Space Operations will no longer begin in FY 2024."

According to the Agency's Fact sheet, NASA requested $180 million for the vehicle to enable the safe and responsible de-orbit of the ISS.

"Following the completion of ISS operations in 2030, the ISS will be safely deorbited via a controlled reentry into an unpopulated region of the Pacific Ocean," NASA said. "The Crew and Cargo program is developing this de-orbit capability with U.S. industry through a competitive procurement."

Last year, NASA announced the extension of its presence at the American side of the ISS through 2030. In late February, the Scientific and Technical Council of Roscosmos approved the decision to extend the operation of the Russian segment of the ISS through 2028.