The evaluation includes a detailed engineering analysis of feasibility, propulsion needs, and potential storage in a stable, higher orbit as an orbital harbor for future use.

NASA’s budget context shows ongoing, multi‑billion‑dollar investment in ISS operations, with significant funding directed to deep‑space and commercial LEO destinations amid rising private station efforts.

The amendment preserves the 2030 retirement timeline but requires a report within 30 days after studies are completed, aligning with broader Moon‑to‑Mars exploration goals.

Private firms, including Haven‑1 by Vast and projects like Starlab, Orbital Reef, and Axiom Space, are pursuing commercial stations to fill retirement gaps, though market viability remains uncertain.

A bipartisan amendment directs NASA to evaluate the viability of transferring the International Space Station to a safe, higher orbit or harbor for long‑term storage and potential future reuse, rather than immediate disposal.

The NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 contemplates studying preserving the ISS beyond its planned 2030 retirement instead of disposing of it.

The House Science Committee advanced the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, incorporating amendments that guide NASA policy and direction.

Current plan envisions a SpaceX deorbit vehicle for a controlled destruction over the Pacific, though critics warn this could waste a historic asset amid growing commercial space‑station activity.

Earlier NASA studies on higher‑orbit options noted substantial propellant needs, propulsion/tanker challenges, and debris collision risks for long‑term storage.

Overall aim is to reassess ISS as a potential waypoint, museum piece, or usable resource to expand the space economy, not solely a disposal decision.

The current deorbit plan targets a 2031 controlled reentry over a remote Pacific area, with debris expected to reach a sparsely populated sea region.

Lawmakers emphasize sustainability and protecting taxpayer investments, with a push toward commercial LEO destinations as NASA shifts focus to lunar exploration.