ISS to be de-orbited and crashed into Pacific Ocean
Shocking that we're already hearing about this considering the ISS isn't even finished with construction yet.
http://en.rian.ru/science/20110727/165412055.html
The International Space Station (ISS) will be de-orbited and sunk in the Pacific Ocean after 2020 like its Russian predecessor Mir, Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) Deputy Head Vitaly Davydov said on Wednesday.
"We will be forced to sink the ISS. We cannot leave it in orbit as it is a very complicated and a heavy object. There must be no space waste from it," Davydov said in an interview posted on the Roscosmos website.
"We have agreed with our partners that the ISS would function roughly until 2020," he said adding the station's life was initially estimated at 15 years.
madrat – Tue, 2011 – 08 – 02 05:32
why
doesn't make a lot of sense to me
It does suck, BUT.
Thats the thing, it is a man made object and unlike communications satellites, the ISS has to be human livable, the thing is these things don't last forever, specially in space, these "CRAFT" will always have a "lifespan".
That said, by 2020, its gonna outlive most of our cars and do a hell of a lot of miles.
that sucks
thats bad but we new this would happen someday
Waste of $bn's
If thats the demise of the ISS, its not only just a waste of tax payers money but a waste of a valuble orbiting facility.
Shame it cant be fitted with thrusters = orbital injection and modifying its orbit to re-position the iss to collect large space debris then de-orbit it.
The worlds most expensive garbage truck possibly?
Space Debris !!
I too wonder about all that Space Debris orbiting the planet from the copious amounts of satellites, both active and failed from various countries efforts over the decades. I know that NASA is 'trying' and I mean trying to track every bit of debris currently in orbit, however, this is a mammoth task. I sometimes wonder how the best way of collecting\containing this debris, allowing us to not pollute the heavens like hear on earth.
I like this idea (if and when ISS has passed its use-by date) of using it to collect space debris, however, the logistics of such an idea would be enormous. Not to mention these objects are screaming around the planet at unimaginable speeds.
The other thought is that, using the ISS would be probably one of the most expensive Garbage Collection Vehicles ever to be used to date.
Happy New Year to ALL and let's just hope the ISS lasts closer to 2030, to get as much use\functionality from it as possible. The last module (ie. The PMM - Permanent Multi-purpose Module) was only installed March 2011 with STS-133. Seems strange to begin discussing it's demise when 9 mths ago the module was only installed.
Cheers to all and best 73.
Stef VK5HSX
WOW
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What a shame
I am pretty new to all this. I had thought that they would keep adding to it and eventually make it like something on Star Trek. :)
scrap the idea of scrapping iss in 2020 and just make a new one
the new one could be a refilling station / repair station for iss and other such like orbiters
do not waste tax payers money plus we dont want it coming back to earth what would be the point in even sending it up there for that