The International Space Station (ISS) is currently scheduled for retirement in 2030, but Elon Musk has called for an earlier retirement, as soon as 2027. Musk has described the space station as having served its purpose. With the ISS potentially being deorbited in as few as two years, that leaves hams with only 24 months to continue taking advantage of the FM repeater and APRS digipeater onboard the space station.
Astronauts onboard the ISS have suggested honoring agreements to keep the ISS in orbit until 2030.
“I would think that right now was probably not the right time to call it quits,” she concluded. “We have probably until 2030 in our agreements, and I think that’s probably really accurate, because we should make the most of this space station for our taxpayers and for all of our international partners, and hold our obligations.” -Suni Williams NASA Astronaut
Source: spacenews.com
