"The Ocean Foundation has raised concerns about the environmental impact on marine ecosystems and the lack of international legal protections for the high seas."
NASA plans to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in the early 2030s by using a SpaceX-provided U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to guide it into a remote area of the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo.
Key Details
- Deorbit Timeline: Lowering of ISS begins early-to-mid 2028; SpaceX USDV to be launched mid-2029; final re-entry burn end of 2030 or early 2031.
- Target Location: Point Nemo, the oceanic pole of inaccessibility in the South Pacific.
- Agencies Involved: NASA (planner), SpaceX (USDV provider), U.S. Government Accountability Office (oversight).
Concerns Raised
- Environmental Impact: Uncertain effects of surviving debris on seafloor ecosystems and atmospheric effects during re-entry.
- Legal Gap: No international law requires compensation or remediation for debris falling into international waters, unlike the Liability Convention for terrestrial damage.
- Call for Assessment: The Ocean Foundation urges a full environmental impact assessment, public disclosure of surviving materials, and legal analysis under UNCLOS and other treaties.