TechCrunch Space: SpaceX’s big plans to bring the ISS back to Earth

Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch Space. Before we begin, a quick note: I write this newsletter on Friday and it gets delivered to you on Monday. So if I neglect to mention a world-historical event that happens over the weekend — like, say, the attempted assassination of a former President — that’s why. Now on to the news.

Want to reach out with a tip? Email Aria at aria.techcrunch@gmail.com or send a message on Signal at 512-937-3988. You also can send a note to the whole TechCrunch crew at tips@techcrunch.com. For more secure communications, click here to contact us, which includes SecureDrop instructions and links to encrypted messaging apps.

Story of the week

The $843 million spacecraft SpaceX is designing to bring down the International Space Station at the end of the decade will be a super-powered version of its Dragon capsule that’s used to transport astronauts and cargo to orbit today.

Meet the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, which will have six times as much usable propellant onboard and three to four times the power generation and storage of a regular Dragon capsule.

Leadership shakeup of the week

Bill Weber is out as chief executive at Firefly Aerospace, following a nearly two-year stint in the role, the maker of launch vehicles, lunar landers and orbital vehicles announced late Wednesday. He joined the company after it was acquired by private equity giant AE Industrial Partners in February 2022. The news of his departure comes just two days after Payload published a story that the company was investigating allegations of an inappropriate relationship between Weber and a female employee.

This week in space history

What other historical event could I choose than the 55th anniversary of the moon landing?! That’s right: On July 20, 1969, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first person to take a step on the moon, uttering the infamous words: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”