Officials from international space agencies have formally approved a collaborative plan to deorbit the International Space Station with the aid of two Russian Progress cargo ships and a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. In announcing the agreement, Roscosmos, the national space agency, confirmed that control and propulsion duties will be divided between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, ensuring the station’s orbital retirement occurs in a controlled and safe manner.
According to Roscosmos, the station’s descent from orbit is scheduled to start in 2028, with the entire process expected to take around two years. The approach will incorporate natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reductions through existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition plan states that the crew will return to Earth prior to the execution of the final burn by mission operators. This final maneuver aims to guide debris into a remote ocean area, minimizing risks to people and property, rather than risking an uncontrolled re-entry from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
Additionally, Russia and the United States are set to draft a bilateral agreement that will clarify the responsibilities of Roscosmos and NASA during the deorbit process. NASA describes safe station disposal as a joint duty shared among the five organizations operating the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. While the overall vehicle configuration is established, the bilateral document will detail operational responsibilities between Russian and U.S. agencies throughout the staged disposal. NASA’s published sequence states that no crew will remain onboard for the final re-entry burn.
Five agencies share the duty of ensuring secure deorbit
In June 2024, NASA chose SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies revealed that existing station propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone did not provide enough margin for a controlled re-entry. An assessment by the U.S. Government Accountability Office published in July 2026 indicated that NASA set a project cost baseline of $1.2 billion in February. This figure includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses necessary to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The project aims for delivery readiness by October 2028, with a planned launch in mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle will be a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with a larger trunk carrying the descent propulsion system. The GAO reports that design modifications include updates to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station about 18 months before re-entry and will stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, with its Launch Services Program separately acquiring the rocket needed for its placement in orbit and approach to the station.
The final re-entry phase will span approximately two years
Since its beginning in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. Weighing roughly 430,000 kilograms and spanning about the size of a football field, it orbits at approximately 415 kilometers altitude. Its systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles handle reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes maintain routine orientation. These technical dependencies form the basis of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, demanding precise coordination among participating agencies.
NASA’s current plan emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states NASA is considering a decision in 2027 on whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to prolong station operations. Structural analyses support station operation through 2028, with additional evaluations planned for beyond that. As part of the multinational program revealed by Roscosmos, the orbital descent will commence in 2028 and continue for approximately two years, ultimately concluding in a controlled atmospheric breakup that deposits debris into a remote ocean region.
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