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ISS Meets Fiery End: New Space Stations Rise
23 Nov
Summary
- NASA plans to decommission the International Space Station in 2030.
- Several new space stations are vying to succeed the ISS.
- Future stations will cater to tourism, research, and commercial ventures.

NASA has announced plans to decommission the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030, with its controlled deorbit into the ocean scheduled for early 2031. This marks a significant shift in low Earth orbit operations after years of international collaboration.
The departure of the ISS paves the way for new ambitious projects. China's Tiangong space station is already operational and aims for a 15-year service life. NASA is also funding commercial ventures like the Axiom space station, intended as the world's first commercial hub for space tourism and research, with its first module launching in 2027.
Further contenders include Jeff Bezos' Orbital Reef, envisioned as a "mixed-use business park" with research labs and tourist accommodations, and Starlab, set to launch by 2028 with luxury amenities. India and Europe are also developing their own stations, signaling a new era of diverse and potentially competitive space infrastructure.




