International Space Station: U.S. congressman asks NASA to study preservation options.

Rep. George Whitesides asked a House committee to request that NASA study whether the International Space Station can be preserved in orbit instead of being deorbited; the committee advanced the proposal unanimously and the measure still faces additional legislative steps.

The International Space Station (ISS) is approaching the end of its planned service life and NASA's current plan is to deorbit the complex at the conclusion of operations. This week, Rep. George Whitesides presented a proposal to the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee asking NASA to investigate whether alternatives to deorbiting are feasible. The committee advanced the proposal in its initial stage with bipartisan support. The measure is a request for study rather than a directive to change the existing plan. Key points: - Rep. George Whitesides asked the House committee to seek a study of options for preserving the ISS in orbit rather than proceeding with planned deorbiting. - NASA's official timeline announced in 2022 sets decommissioning around 2030 with deorbit activity to follow, and current plans expect an external provider to execute the reentry. - Technical constraints include ongoing orbital drag that requires regular boosts and concerns, noted in a 2024 NASA report, that raising the station could increase collision and debris risk. - The committee vote was an early procedural step; the proposal must clear additional legislative stages before any formal change to NASA's plans would occur. Summary: The proposal asks for further study of preservation options but does not change NASA's deorbit plan at this time, and significant technical and logistical challenges remain. The legislative request passed an initial committee stage and will need further consideration in subsequent steps before any policy or operational shift could be made.