“NASA has examined several options for decommissioning of the International Space Station, including disassembly and return to Earth, boosting to a higher orbit, natural orbital decay with random re-entry, and controlled targeted re-entry to a remote ocean area,” NASA explained.

Elon Musk recently called for the ISS to be deorbited "as soon as possible." Experts say the station provides vital research, technological development and education

NASA, alongside agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, and Russia, has long planned to retire the ISS at the end of the decade. A deorbit vehicle, expected to be developed by SpaceX, will guide the station to a controlled descent,