Elon Musk thinks we should always begin transferring on from the Worldwide Area Station (ISS).
“It’s time to start preparations for deorbiting the @Space_Station. It has served its goal. There may be little or no incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars,” the SpaceX chief and shut Trump adviser said via X today (Feb. 20).
In another X post, he laid out his most well-liked timeline: “The choice is as much as the President, however my suggestion is as quickly as attainable. I like to recommend 2 years from now.”
NASA and its companions on the ISS undertaking — the Canadian Area Company, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Company, and Russia’s area company, Roscosmos — started constructing the orbiting lab in 1998. It has hosted rotating astronaut crews constantly since November 2000, serving to humanity be taught to dwell in area so we’ll be higher geared up to place down roots on the moon and Mars.
Associated: NASA selects SpaceX to build deorbit vehicle for International Space Station
The tip is already in sight for the outpost, which has been exhibiting signs of its advanced age. The companions plan to convey the station down in a managed style in 2030, utilizing a deorbit car provided by SpaceX.
All however one of many ISS companions are on board with this timeline; Russia has repeatedly mentioned that it needs to depart the ISS program early and is at present dedicated only through 2028 — a 12 months after Musk want to convey the orbiting lab down.
It’s time to start preparations for deorbiting the @Space_Station. It has served its goal. There may be little or no incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars.February 20, 2025
Musk’s ideas on this topic shouldn’t be dismissed as idle musings, as he seems to have Trump’s ear on quite a few points. For instance, Musk is at present main a broad audit of the federal authorities by way of an advisory group referred to as the Department of Government Efficiency. This audit has resulted in thousands of layoffs to date throughout a number of businesses, with many extra cuts anticipated within the close to future.
And Musk’s give attention to Mars as the following vacation spot for humanity after low Earth orbit ought to come as no shock; the billionaire has lengthy had the Purple Planet in his sights. In a December X post, for instance, he dismissed the moon as “a distraction,” saying that “we’re going straight to Mars.”
That is not NASA’s plan for the time being, nevertheless. The company is working to get astronauts to the moon by way of its Artemis program, viewing Earth’s nearest neighbor as a stepping stone to the Purple Planet.
“NASA’s present mission plans name for utilizing the Worldwide Area Station, and future business area stations, in low Earth orbit to conduct groundbreaking science, in addition to a coaching floor for crewed missions to the moon and Mars,” company officers mentioned in an emailed assertion this afternoon. “We’re trying ahead to listening to extra concerning the Trump Administration’s plans for our company and increasing exploration for the good thing about all.”
Editor’s word: This story was up to date at 5:40 pm ET to incorporate NASA’s assertion.
