SpaceX and NASA are preparing to de-orbit the International Space Station (ISS) using an upgraded Dragon spacecraft designed for this purpose.

NASA awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to create a spacecraft capable of shifting the ISS, which weighs over 400 tons, into a controlled re-entry trajectory over an unpopulated ocean area.

The ISS is scheduled for decommissioning after 2030, marking the end of its nearly 30-year operational life, IGN has reported.

SpaceX plans to base the new spacecraft on its existing Dragon models, which have successfully completed 42 missions to the ISS since 2010.

Written by B.C. Begley