NASA to Invest $1 Billion in ISS Deorbit Tug

NASA is set to invest nearly $1 billion in a tug to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) at the end of the decade. The initiative is part of the agency's fiscal year 2024 budget proposal, aimed at providing redundancy and ensuring the safe disposal of the station. The budget outlines a 7.1% increase from 2023, totaling $27.2 billion.

The ISS deorbit tug is one of the major new initiatives in NASA's 2024 budget proposal. It will be utilized for the final lowering of the station's orbit, ensuring reentry over the South Pacific. The agency first indicated its plans for the tug in August last year but offered few specifics about the vehicle.

The project has been allocated $180 million in the budget, which NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations, Kathy Lueders, describes as a "healthy start." While exact costs will depend on industry proposals, the agency estimates a total cost just under $1 billion.