SpaceX Dragon to perform first ISS reboost, gathering critical data Reboost helps plan a future Dragon to deorbit ISS around 2030 NASA aims for a smooth ISS transition to private stations Advertisement SpaceX is set to carry out a first-of-its-kind manoeuvre on November 8, with its Dragon cargo capsule performing a “reboost” of the International Space Station (ISS). The 12.5-minute engine burn will lift the ISS to a higher altitude, addressing the gradual orbital decay caused by Earth's atmospheric drag. This task has traditionally been managed by Russian Soyuz vehicles, but the reboost by a SpaceX capsule signifies a shift in ISS maintenance responsibilities. Reboost to Gather Data for Future Operations As per a report by Space.com, the data from this reboost will support the design of a larger SpaceX Dragon vehicle, intended to deorbit the ISS when its mission ends, likely in the early 2030s. According to Jared Metter, SpaceX's Director of Flight Reliability, the results from this reboost test will inform future developments for a U.S.-led deorbit vehicle, which will be necessary as the ISS ages and new commercial stations become operational. U.S.-Russia Collaboration on ISS Remains, Despite Tensions While Russian Soyuz craft have traditionally handled ISS altitude adjustments, shifting political dynamics have affected international space collaborations. The ISS remains an exception, with Russian and U.S. entities working together to sustain its operations. If Russia proceeds with its own space station project, planned for launch no earlier than 2028, additional spacecraft, such as Northrop Grumman's Cygnus and SpaceX's Dragon, will be needed to replace Soyuz.