ScienceAugust 8, 2026

disintegrating

dih-SIN-tuh-gray-ting

Definition

The process of breaking apart into smaller components, fragments, or particles.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'disintegratus,' meaning 'to separate into parts,' combining the prefix 'dis-' (asunder) with 'integer' (whole).

In the news

In this article, the word refers to the expected physical breakdown of the International Space Station as it enters Earth's atmosphere during its planned reentry and deorbit sequence.

NASA has contracted a purpose-built spacecraft to push the International Space Station out of orbit in late 2030, steering the 430-tonne structure towards the remote South Pacific near Point Nemo, where passing astronauts can briefly be the nearest humans

Read the full article ↗

Space Daily

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