NASA has awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to build a spacecraft to take the International Space Station out of its long-running orbit around Earth when its operational life comes to an end in the next few years.
SpaceX, a privately held company run by tech mogul Elon Musk and founded in California, announced earlier this year that it was moving to Texas. The company will build the spacecraft that will land on the space station, although NASA will continue to oversee the final mission.
The International Space Station, launched in 1998, is expected to need to be deorbited by 2030. The station is operated by space agencies from the United States, Europe, Japan, Canada and Russia. All participating countries have committed to operating the station until 2030, although Russia has only committed to participating until 2028.
A crew of astronauts has been stationed on the space station since 2000.
“The orbital laboratory continues to be a blueprint for science, exploration and partnerships in space for the benefit of all,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate.
The deal signals a new vote of confidence in the technological capabilities of SpaceX, the Hawthorne, California-based rocket maker that Mr. Musk founded in 2002 to explore new frontiers in space. Mr. Musk, 52, has since become the driving force behind electric-car maker Tesla, which accounts for most of his estimated fortune of $220 billion.
A Houston space technology company has also been awarded a NASA contract for the future of the ISS. Houston-based tech unicorn Axiom Space is currently building the Axiom Station with a $140 million grant from NASA. The company is also working with NASA to develop new, innovative space suits for the next generation of astronauts.
SpaceX celebrated its most successful launch ever this summer with its giant rocket, Starship, which completed its first full test flight on Thursday, returning to Earth without exploding after lifting off from Texas.
