Ongoing attempts to extend lifespan of International Space Station

Grey Havoc

Grey Havoc

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https://spacenews.com/nelson-continues-effort-to-extend-space-station/
 
A few related posts from some other threads:

Flyaway said:
NASA Opens International Space Station to New Commercial Opportunities, Private Astronauts

NASA is opening the International Space Station for commercial business so U.S. industry innovation and ingenuity can accelerate a thriving commercial economy in low-Earth orbit.

This move comes as NASA focuses full speed ahead on its goal of landing the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, where American companies also will play an essential role in establishing a sustainable presence.

NASA officials, including the agency’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff DeWit, will discuss details of the five-part near-term plan in a news conference at 10 a.m. EDT today. The news conference will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

NASA will continue research and testing in low-Earth orbit to inform its lunar exploration plans, while also working with the private sector to test technologies, train astronauts and strengthen the burgeoning space economy. Providing expanded opportunities at the International Space Station to manufacture, market and promote commercial products and services will help catalyze and expand space exploration markets for many businesses.

The agency’s ultimate goal in low-Earth orbit is to partner with industry to achieve a strong ecosystem in which NASA is one of many customers purchasing services and capabilities at lower cost.

NASA’s plan addresses both the supply-side and demand-side for a new economy, enabling use of government resources for commercial activities, creating the opportunity for private astronaut missions to the space station, enabling commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit, identifying and pursuing activities that foster new and emerging markets, and quantifying NASA’s long-term demand for activities in low-Earth orbit.
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Flyaway said:
www.bigelowspaceops.com

Bigelow Space Operations

Bigelow Space Operations
www.bigelowspaceops.com

Bigelow Space Operations Announces it has Reserved up to Four Dedicated SpaceX Launches to the International Space Station

On Friday, June 7, 2019 Bigelow Space Operations (BSO) announced that last September of 2018 BSO paid substantial sums as deposits and reservation fees to secure up to four SpaceX launches to the International Space Station (ISS). These launches are dedicated flights each carrying up to four people for a duration of one to possibly two months on the ISS.

BSO is excited about NASA’s announcements last Friday. BSO has demonstrated its sincerity and commitment to moving forward on NASA’s commercialization plans for the ISS through the execution of last September’s launch contracts. BSO intends to thoroughly digest all of the information that was dispersed last week so that all opportunities and obligations to properly conduct the flights and activities of new astronauts to the ISS can be responsibly performed.

In these early times, the seat cost will be targeted at approximately $52,000,000 per person.

The next big question is when is this all going to happen? Once the SpaceX rocket and capsule are certified by NASA to fly people to the ISS, then this program can begin.

As you might imagine, as they say “the devil is in the details”, and there are many. But we are excited and optimistic that all of this can come together successfully, and BSO has skin in the game.

Robert T. Bigelow

President,

Bigelow Space Operations

Bigelow Aerospace
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Flyaway said:
While Bigelow Aerospace’s expandable module, BEAM, continues to perform above all expectations while attached to the International Space Station (ISS), the company has larger ambitions for its range of modules, centered around the B330 – a huge inflatable module. The key focus is on attracting NASA to select B330 as a transportation module for long-duration trips to Mars.
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www.nasaspaceflight.com

Bigelow's B330 - an autonomous, expandable independent exploration space station - NASASpaceFlight.com

While Bigelow Aerospace’s expandable module, BEAM, continues to perform above all expectations while attached to…
www.nasaspaceflight.com www.nasaspaceflight.com
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Flyaway said:
First commercial module to be docked to ISS. Eventually they will separate from ISS once a power module is launched to form the Axiom Station.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1221902155436691457

www.nasaspaceflight.com

NASA selects Axiom Space to build commercial space station segment - NASASpaceFlight.com

NASA has announced that they have selected Axiom Space, an American company headquartered in Houston,…
www.nasaspaceflight.com www.nasaspaceflight.com
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fredymac said:
Details on Axiom's commercial space station elements.

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Grey Havoc said:
hackaday.com

Expanding, And Eventually Replacing, The International Space Station

Aboard the International Space Station (ISS), humanity has managed to maintain an uninterrupted foothold in low Earth orbit for just shy of 20 years. There are people reading these words who have h…
hackaday.com hackaday.com
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NASA solidifies planning to deorbit ISS in 2031:

NASA Solidifies Planning to Deorbit ISS in 2031

Posted: February 6, 2022 1:39 pm ET | Last Updated: February 7, 2022 5:58 pm ET | Find out about NASA's plans to deorbit the International Space Station in 2031 and how much money it hopes to save by shifting to buying services from companies operating commercial space stations in low Earth...
spacepolicyonline.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1490397642953838593
View: https://twitter.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1490397642953838593
 
NMaude said:
Grey Havoc said:
www.bbc.com

International Space Station to crash down to Earth in 2031

Nasa says the ISS will operate until 2030 before the agency hands over to commercial companies.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
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There actually is an alternative to de-orbiting the ISS (A disgraceful act of vandalism) and that's to boost it into a permanent orbit.
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I too would like to see the ISS moved into a more permanent orbit and used for more commercial use after NASA has sold it off instead of de-orbiting it which would be a waist of money.
 
Any 'more permanent' orbit for ISS puts it inside the van Allen belts, which is not a good idea for a permanently-manned station. Getting above the belts requires an enormous amount of delta-V. Both require significant upgrades to the station.

Keeping the station operational past 2030 requires major refurbishment, including e.g. the seals between some of the modules (i.e. you'd have to disassemble the station to get to those). Another issue is metal fatigue, which would require new structures.
 
Hobbes said:
Any 'more permanent' orbit for ISS puts it inside the van Allen belts
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True however we're talking about a permanent orbit after it has been permanently decommissioned and abandoned also as for getting above the inner radiation belt then use a series of seperate detachable boosters (Something akin to the Progress cargo spacecraft).
 
So we'd have a derelict hulk orbiting at high altitude. It's not doing anybody any good up there, and in time it will become a source of space debris.
 
Hobbes said:
So we'd have a derelict hulk orbiting at high altitude. It's not doing anybody any good up there, and in time it will become a source of space debris.
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It would be put there because it is an historic satellite that is worthy of protection and should be in a museum after being decommissioned. As for space-debris a permanent orbit would put it well above the space-debris that litters the LEO region and steps could be taken to avoid it shedding anything.
 
Send it to the moon modules after modules. Make it a spare habitat, lunar hangar, shed... Let's do to her what was honorably done to many dismantled allied Air bases after WWII.

Metal on orbit should remain precious until their trajectory is uncontrollable.
 
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TomcatViP said:
Send it to the moon modules after modules. Make it a spare habitat, lunar hangar, shed... Let's do to her what was honorably done to many dismantled allied Air bases after WWII.

Metal on orbit should remain precious until their trajectory is uncontrollable.
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A good idea TomcatVIP, dismantling the ISS then sending it module by module to Lunar orbit and use it either as a spare or back up to the Gateway that would give the ISS a second life.
 
FighterJock said:
TomcatViP said:
Send it to the moon modules after modules. Make it a spare habitat, lunar hangar, shed... Let's do to her what was honorably done to many dismantled allied Air bases after WWII.

Metal on orbit should remain precious until their trajectory is uncontrollable.
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A good idea TomcatVIP, dismantling the ISS then sending it module by module to Lunar orbit and use it either as a spare or back up to the Gateway that would give the ISS a second life.
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The US Orbital Segment of ISS was not designed to be dismantled, so reusing it in lunar orbit is not a credible option. And ISS was never built to be unmanned, so you can't credibly use it as a backup -- it need a full-time crew.
Not to mention trying to get it into that halo orbit that Lunar Gateway will use would be very expensive in terms of delta-v.
 

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