The US House Science, Space, and Technology Committee has approved an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, directing the agency to study options for preserving the International Space Station in orbit after its planned 2030 retirement. Instead of deorbiting the station into the Pacific Ocean in 2031, the proposal calls for evaluating a safe orbital harbor. The measure received bipartisan support during the committee's markup session.
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee unanimously voted on February 6, 2026, to advance the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, incorporating over 40 amendments. One key addition, proposed by Rep. George Whitesides (D-Calif.) and cosponsored by Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), requires NASA to conduct an engineering analysis on transferring the International Space Station (ISS) to a higher orbit for potential future reuse, rather than its current plan to guide it toward destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean in 2031.
Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff, emphasized the station's significance during the hearing. "The International Space Station is one of the most complex engineering achievements in human history," he said. "It represents more than three decades of international collaboration and investment by US taxpayers estimated at well over $100 billion." He clarified that the amendment does not alter the 2030 end-of-life timeline but seeks a thorough assessment of preservation options. Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) expressed wholehearted support, while Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) added, "I just hate the thought that we would take something not just that we spent all the money on, but such an important part of human history, and dump it in the Pacific Ocean, never to be seen again, rather than preserving it."
NASA's existing deorbit strategy involves a SpaceX vehicle, contracted for nearly $1 billion in 2024, to slow the 450-ton station by about 127 mph using 10 tons of propellant. Alternatives considered in a 2024 NASA analysis include boosting it to 400-420 miles altitude, requiring 18.9 to 22.3 metric tons of propellant for a 100-year orbit, or higher for millennia-long stability. However, these options demand new vehicles and raise debris collision risks, especially around 500 miles.
The ISS, operational since 1998, could potentially extend beyond 2030, with recent upgrades to solar arrays and sealed Russian module leaks supporting its integrity. NASA's shift to commercial low-Earth orbit destinations, funded at $273 million this year, faces challenges, including underfunding and rule changes. Companies like Vast, planning Haven-1 for 2027, back the 2030 transition. Vast CEO Max Haot stated, "We support President Trump’s directive in national space policy to replace the ISS by 2030, with commercial partners who can ensure there is no gap in America’s continuous human presence in space."
The bill now heads to the full House, Senate, and White House for further approval.
