SCIENCE
Where is Point Nemo, the most remote place on Earth where NASA will abandon the Space Station?
After a spacecraft or other huge orbiting item has come to the end of its life, the oceanic pole of inaccessibility is used as a watery burial ground.
The planet Earth is replete with dreamlike places, ones that are always worth discovering, such as Rjukan, the town untouched by sunlight, the Svalbard Seed Vault, or the incredible volcano in Indonesia that spews blue lava, named Kawah Ijen. Some of these places stand out for their beauty, their uniqueness, or even for how isolated they can be, the latter statement applying very much to Point Nemo.
How far is Point Nemo from land?
Also referred to as the ‘oceanic pole of inaccessibility’ it is the most remote point in the ocean from any landmass. To put it into perspective, the closest option to set foot on land from Point Nemo is on Ducie Island (Pitcairn Islands), which would require navigating a staggering 1,670 miles (2,688 kilometres).
Check out the exact coordinates of Point Nemo
Located in the southern Pacific Ocean, the sea depth in the area of Point Nemo is approximately 2.3 miles (3.7 km) – compare this to the deepest point on Earth being the Mariana Trench at 6.84 miles (11 km). It is deemed an uninhabitable zone, thus making it the only area on the planet utilised as a spacecraft graveyard.
When does the International Space Station ‘expire’?
Did you know that the International Space Station is not expected to continue indefinitely? Indeed, its demise is not far away.
When a spacecraft or station reaches the end of its operational life and becomes obsolete, they are abandoned in this isolated Pacific location because it meets the necessary conditions to ensure safety and prevent contamination of any nearby areas – primarily because there are none in its vicinity.
It is estimated that there are between 250 and 300 abandoned spacecraft in this region. And it will be the final resting place for the International Space Station, as NASA plans to cease its operations from 2030 onward. As an interesting aside, it’s worth noting that H.P. Lovecraft placed his fictional city, R’lyeh, near Point Nemo.