International space agency partners have officially approved a joint plan to deorbit the International Space Station utilizing two Russian Progress cargo ships along with a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. Confirming this multilateral agreement, Roscosmos, the state space agency, stated that primary guidance and propulsion duties will be shared between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, guaranteeing a controlled and safe conclusion to the station’s orbital activities.
According to Roscosmos, the orbital descent of the station will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit process expected to span about two years. The plan involves leveraging natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reductions with existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition plan specifies that crew members will return to Earth prior to the execution of the final burn, which is designed to direct debris into an uninhabited ocean region and minimize risks to people and property, avoiding an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of operations.
Russia and the United States are also working on a bilateral agreement to delineate responsibilities during this operation. NASA describes safe disposal as a shared obligation among the five agencies involved in station operations: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. While the program specifies the vehicle combination, the bilateral document will clarify operational accountability between Roscosmos and NASA during each phase of the multi-stage disposal process. Under NASA’s published sequence, no crew will remain aboard for the final re-entry burn.
Five agencies responsible for safe end-of-life procedures
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after analyses revealed that the station’s existing propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone lacked sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office published in July 2026 indicated that NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February, which includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce costs necessary to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The goal is to have the vehicle ready for delivery by October 2028, with launch scheduled for mid-2029.
The U.S. craft combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk carrying the propulsion system needed for descent. According to the GAO, design modifications include updates to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk. The vehicle is expected to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and will stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate it, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately handle procurement of the rocket to place it in orbit and reach the station.
Re-entry process estimated to last around two years
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station weighs about 430,000 kilograms, spans roughly a football field, and orbits at approximately 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are highly interdependent: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes handle routine orientation. These interconnected relationships form the basis of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan and require meticulous coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current schedule prioritizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states that NASA plans to assess in 2027 whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations. The agency’s analyses support operation through 2028, with additional reviews addressing future plans. Under Roscosmos’s disclosed multinational program, the orbital lowering begins in 2028 and proceeds over approximately two years, concluding with a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.