NASA Gives SpaceX $850M to Develop "Deorbit Vehicle" to Bring Down ISS

NASA is paying SpaceX a boat load of money, $850 million, to develop a spacecraft that'll bring the aging International Space Station out of orbit in 2030.

NASA wants the spacecraft, called the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, to guide the decommissioned ISS safely back through Earth's atmosphere before its planned crash into the Pacific Ocean.

“Selecting a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station will help NASA and its international partners ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations. This decision also supports NASA’s plans for future commercial destinations and allows for the continued use of space near Earth,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The orbital laboratory remains a blueprint for science, exploration, and partnerships in space for the benefit of all.”

NASA says it will take responsibility for the Deorbit Vehicle along with the Space Station which are expected to destructively breakup as part of the re-entry process.