SpaceX will bring down the International Space Station: A new period in space management.

SpaceX will use a special capsule to push the International Space Station out of orbit when it's time to end its use. NASA and SpaceX plan to destroy the station by burning it up on reentry, targeting the ocean as its final resting place at the start of 2031.

The International Space Station, showing signs of aging, was built with contributions from various nations and has been in use since 2000. NASA's plan is to replace it with private space stations by 2030, allowing NASA to focus on deeper space missions.

NASA thought about taking the space station apart or letting others use it, but decided those options were too difficult and risky. They have decided instead to safely guide the station to crash into the ocean, avoiding uncontrolled reentry.

SpaceX will modify a Dragon capsule with more engines and fuel to handle the job of guiding the station down. This upgraded spacecraft will be launched well before the station's scheduled end, and astronauts will leave the station six months before its destruction.

Past space missions have shown the challenges and risks of bringing large structures back to Earth. For the space station, NASA plans to save only small items like logs and panels for museum purposes.