It’s Way Past Time to Retire the International Space Station

This week, the urgent medical evacuation of an astronaut from the International Space Station (ISS) private Crew-11 mission forced the crew to return to Earth. Citing privacy concerns, NASA did not specify the nature of the medical issue or identify the affected crew member, other than noting that the individual is now stable.

This medical evacuation, the first of its kind in the 25-year history of the $150 billion orbiting lab, presents an opportunity to reconsider America’s commitment to the failing ISS. Given that the station was originally intended to cost just $8 billion to build, it’s particularly worth asking what benefit taxpayers have gotten for our money.