ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Primal Space What will happen to the International Space Station?
Over two decades ago, the International Space Station (ISS) began its incredible journey in space. Since then, it has become a home for hundreds of astronauts and a hub for scientific research that benefits life on Earth. But what does the future hold for the ISS? Let’s dive into what might happen when the ISS retires and what exciting plans NASA has for future space stations.
The ISS is as large as a football field and has orbited Earth more than 100,000 times. However, like all things, it won’t last forever. The materials that make up the ISS will eventually wear out, making it unsafe for astronauts. Plus, it costs NASA about $4 billion each year to keep it running. The current budget for the ISS ends in 2024, and NASA plans to retire it by 2028 to focus on more ambitious space missions.
Retiring the ISS is a big challenge. According to international agreements, each country must take responsibility for their parts of the station. Some people think the modules should be brought back to Earth and turned into a museum. However, this would require a lot of missions, which isn’t practical.
The most likely plan is to deorbit the ISS into a remote part of the Pacific Ocean called Point Nemo. This spot is over 1,000 miles from any land, making it the safest place to dispose of old spacecraft. It’s so isolated that the closest humans are often the astronauts on the ISS itself! Over 200 satellites have ended up at Point Nemo, including the Russian Mir Space Station in 2001.
When a satellite reenters Earth’s atmosphere, it faces intense heat and pressure, which usually causes it to break apart. The Mir Space Station was the largest spacecraft to be deorbited, and some of its pieces survived, leaving a trail of debris. The ISS will follow a similar path, but it’s not the end of space stations.
The Russians plan to use their ISS segments to build a new space station. Meanwhile, China is working on its own space station, which started launching in 2020 and will take three years to complete. With the ISS nearing its end, NASA is looking to private companies to either take over or create new space stations. SpaceX, for example, might modify its Starship to serve as a space station, but only if it becomes profitable.
NASA is setting its sights on the Moon. They are developing a lunar space station, planned for launch in 2024. This station will help scientists study how the human body reacts to space conditions and serve as a base for missions to Mars.
While it will be sad to say goodbye to the ISS, we can celebrate all the knowledge it has given us. The future of space exploration is bright, with new missions and discoveries on the horizon. The ISS has paved the way for an exciting era of exploring the unknown.
Research the key events in the history of the International Space Station. Create a timeline that highlights its construction, major missions, and scientific achievements. Use images and brief descriptions to make your timeline visually appealing and informative.
Imagine you are an engineer tasked with designing a new space station. Consider the lessons learned from the ISS and incorporate innovative features. Draw a detailed diagram and write a short explanation of how your space station will support astronauts and scientific research.
Participate in a class debate about the best course of action for the ISS after its retirement. Should it be deorbited, turned into a museum, or repurposed? Prepare arguments for your position and engage in a respectful discussion with your classmates.
Investigate the process of deorbiting a spacecraft. Create a presentation that explains the science behind reentry, the challenges involved, and the environmental considerations. Use diagrams and videos to enhance your presentation.
Choose one of the emerging space programs mentioned in the article, such as China’s space station or NASA’s lunar station. Research its goals, current progress, and future plans. Share your findings in a report or presentation with the class.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
21 years ago, the first module of the International Space Station (ISS) was launched into orbit. Over the last two decades, it has been home to hundreds of astronauts, conducting a significant amount of scientific research to help improve life on Earth. But how much longer will the space station remain operational? And what will happen when it eventually retires? In this video, we’ll explore the future of the ISS, where satellites go to retire, and NASA’s plans for future space stations around Earth and beyond.
Over the past 20 years, the ISS has grown to the size of an entire football field, completing more than 100,000 orbits around Earth. However, the materials and structures that make up the space station will eventually wear down to the point where it becomes unsafe for astronauts. Additionally, it costs NASA around $4 billion each year to operate the ISS, and the current budget for the space station ends in 2024. NASA is looking to retire the program in 2028 to free up funding for more ambitious missions into deep space.
Once the decision is made to retire the ISS, there will be the challenging task of removing the world’s largest spacecraft from orbit. According to the Outer Space Treaty, each country is legally responsible for deorbiting their own modules. Many have suggested that each module should be brought down separately and reassembled to become a museum piece on Earth. However, the only vehicle capable of doing something like this was the Space Shuttle, which would require 27 missions to carry each segment back to Earth.
The most likely solution is to deorbit the space station into an area of the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo. This area is over 1,000 miles away from any civilization, making it the safest place to discard retired spacecraft. This location is so remote that the closest humans are actually the astronauts aboard the ISS, which orbits at just 250 miles above the surface. Since the beginning of spaceflight, over 200 satellites have ended up in this location, including the Russian Mir Space Station, which was deorbited there in 2001.
When a satellite reenters the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, the intense heat and pressure can completely disintegrate most satellites. At the time, the Mir Space Station was the largest spacecraft to be deorbited, and some of the larger sections managed to survive reentry, creating a trail of debris 1,800 miles long. Just like Mir, the ISS wasn’t the first space station, and it won’t be the last. Before their involvement with the ISS, the Russians successfully operated seven of their own space stations. Once the ISS is retired, the Russians plan to remove their own segments and use them to create a new space station.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Space Agency has been developing its own space station, which is scheduled to be launched in 2020, taking three years to fully assemble. With the ISS coming to an end and no plans to replace it, NASA has looked towards private companies to either take over the space station or develop their own. Once SpaceX has its Starship operational, it could be modified to serve as its own space station, potentially providing more space than the entire ISS. However, unless SpaceX finds a way to make space stations profitable, it’s unlikely they will take on such a challenge.
NASA, on the other hand, currently has its sights set on the Moon. They are developing a lunar space station scheduled to be launched in 2024. Astronauts will spend extended periods on this space station to study how the human body reacts to the intense radiation outside of Earth’s magnetic field. This space station will also serve as the holding point for the Deep Space Transport vehicle, designed to take humans to and from Mars.
So, while it will be sad to see this iconic space station come to an end, we can appreciate the vast amount of knowledge it has provided us and look forward to an exciting future of space exploration.
Space – The vast, seemingly infinite expanse that exists beyond Earth’s atmosphere where stars, planets, and other celestial bodies are found. – Example sentence: Scientists use telescopes to study the mysteries of space and learn more about the universe.
Station – A structure or facility in space where astronauts live and work for extended periods. – Example sentence: The International Space Station orbits Earth and serves as a laboratory for scientific research.
Astronauts – Trained individuals who travel into space to conduct experiments and explore celestial bodies. – Example sentence: Astronauts aboard the space shuttle conducted experiments to understand the effects of microgravity on the human body.
Earth – The third planet from the Sun, which is home to all known life and has a diverse environment. – Example sentence: From space, astronauts can see the beautiful blue and green colors of Earth as it rotates.
Missions – Planned journeys or tasks undertaken by spacecraft or astronauts to achieve specific objectives in space. – Example sentence: The Apollo missions were crucial in landing humans on the Moon and bringing them safely back to Earth.
Deorbit – The process of bringing a spacecraft out of orbit, usually to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. – Example sentence: The satellite was programmed to deorbit after completing its mission to avoid becoming space debris.
Future – The time yet to come, often used in the context of upcoming developments or advancements in space exploration. – Example sentence: In the future, humans may establish colonies on Mars as technology continues to advance.
Satellites – Objects that orbit around planets, either naturally like moons or artificially like communication satellites. – Example sentence: Weather satellites help meteorologists predict storms and monitor climate changes from space.
Lunar – Relating to the Moon, Earth’s natural satellite. – Example sentence: The lunar surface is covered with craters and dust, providing clues about the Moon’s history.
Exploration – The act of traveling through or investigating an unfamiliar area, often used in the context of space to discover new information about celestial bodies. – Example sentence: Space exploration has led to many technological advancements and a better understanding of our solar system.
