TheTechno Optimist.

Nancy Grace Roman Space TelescopeNASA—Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launches on Falcon Heavy to Sun-Earth L2Space Launch System (SLS)NASA—Artemis II launches with four astronauts on lunar flybyNASA—NASA cancels Lunar Gateway orbital station, prioritizing lunar surface base insteadArtemis Lunar Surface BaseNASA—NASA cancels Gateway orbital station, commits $20B to permanent Moon baseNASA—NASA tests next-generation heat shields on a university-built reentry probe riding a cargo shipX-59 QueSSTNASA—X-59 reaches supersonic speed at Mach 1.1, a milestone toward quiet boom demonstrationsSR-1 Freedom (Space Reactor-1)NASA—NASA announces SR-1 Freedom, a reactor-powered spacecraft to launch to Mars in 2028Artemis Lunar Surface BaseNASA—NASA awards Moon Base contracts: $219M Astrolab, $220M Lunar Outpost, $188M Blue Origin, $75M FireflyX-59 QueSSTNASA—NASA X-59 completes second flight, beginning dozens of test flights in 2026SR-1 Freedom (Space Reactor-1)NASA—SR-1 Freedom cost put at $2.1 billion, excluding its Mars helicopters

International Space Station & Deorbit Vehicle

by NASAUS

Safely retire the ISS by lowering it into the Pacific Ocean while preserving scientific capabilities via commercial space stations.

DeployStage 4 of 5

Operating through 2030. SpaceX $843M Dragon-derived deorbit vehicle to lower station.

Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · ISS operations continue with reduced crew
  1. ISS first module (Zarya) launchedNov 1998Complete.
  2. ISS becomes continuously crewedNov 2000Complete.
  3. SpaceX awarded $843M deorbit vehicle contract2024Complete.
  4. ISS operations continue with reduced crewTarget 2026Current milestone.
  5. ISS operational period ends; deorbit beginsTarget 2030Not yet reached.

Upcoming

  1. 2026ISS operations continue with reduced crew (next)
  2. 2028First commercial space station operational
  3. 2030ISS operational period ends; deorbit begins
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