NASA is preparing to destroy the International Space Station (ISS), awarding SpaceX an up to $843 million contract to push the station safely out of orbit and back to Earth.
According to the space agency's plans, SpaceX's specially designed deorbit vehicle will drag the football field-size ISS back to Earth sometime after the end of its operational life in 2030. The ISS will smash into our planet's atmosphere at a speed of more than 17,000 mph (27,500 km/h) before landing in a crashdown spot in the ocean.
