this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2023
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Astronomy
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I would love to see the cost/feasibility of boosting to a stable/graveyard orbit. The ISS is massive and not built for that kind of maneuver, but it would be great to be able to preserve it for the future.
Does seem like a massive waste to just get rid of it. Feel like it could be repurposed for other use
Granted, its international status probably makes any decisions about utilizing it for something else difficult
It's too old to be retrofitted and it wasn't designed to last forever.
The computer systems on board controlling all the essential systems, I'd have to assume given the age of the station and when everything was designed, they'd have used 32 bit computing tech because that was what was prevalent when the station launched.
A lot of people say "boost it into graveyard orbit" but another problem is that physically it was not designed to last forever, and just over general wear and tear, it will begin to disintegrate and rain fragments, so it is much safer to deorbit and decomm.
Fair point, safety should be the primary concern.
Just unfortunate that it can’t be preserved as a space-tourism destination or something of the sort. Would be neat if it was made into a museum something
I would also make it a museum too, but I think it'd be more feasible to bring some modules down to Earth and make them tourist attractions.