Before it comes down, what should be saved from the International Space Station?

NASA is in the early stages of identifying what small parts of the International Space Station to bring back to Earth before its scheduled deorbit around 2030 . As the station descends through the atmosphere, most components will burn up from intense heating, though some larger and more durable sections like the trusses will likely survive and impact the ocean . The article likely explores which ISS components and artifacts have historical or scientific significance worth preserving and how they might be recovered before the final deorbiting.

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-05-22