International Space Station program with on-orbit refurbishment in mind. According to the Outer Space Treaty the United States is legally responsible for all modules it has launched. In ISS planning, NASA examined options including returning the station to Earth via shuttle missions (deemed too expensive, as the station(USOS) is not designed for disassembly and this would require at least 27 shuttle missions), natural orbital decay with random reentry similar to Skylab, boosting the station to a higher altitude (which would simply delay reentry) and a controlled targeted de-orbit to a remote ocean area. The technical feasibility of a controlled targeted deorbit into a remote
International Space Station launched in November 2019, and other Russian modules which are planned to be attached to Nauka afterwards. Those modules would be within their useful lives in 2020 or 2024. The report presents a statement from an unnamed Russian engineer that, based on the experience from "Mir", a 30-year life should be possible, except for micrometeorite damage, because the Russian modules have been built with on-orbit refurbishment in mind. According to the Outer Space Treaty, the United States and Russia are legally responsible for all modules they have launched. In ISS planning, NASA examined options including returning the station to Earth