Official authorization from international space agency partners has been granted for a collaborative plan to deorbit the International Space Station utilizing two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft alongside a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. In announcing this multilateral agreement, Roscosmos, the state space agency, confirmed that the chief guidance and propulsion duties will be allocated between U.S. and Russian modules, guaranteeing a controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital lifespan.
The planned descent of the station will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbiting process anticipated to span roughly two years, according to Roscosmos. This sequence will involve leveraging natural atmospheric drag, executing intentional altitude reductions via existing propulsion systems, and concluding with a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition plan indicates that crew members will return to Earth before mission operators execute the final large burn. This maneuver aims to direct any remaining debris into an uninhabited ocean region, minimizing risks to people and property, rather than allowing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of its operational life.
Russia and the United States are also working on a bilateral agreement that will define how Roscosmos and NASA share operational responsibilities during this process. NASA characterizes safe disposal as a joint obligation among the five agencies managing the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. While the program specifies the vehicle configuration, the upcoming bilateral document will clarify the operational responsibilities of the Russian and U.S. agencies throughout the multi-phase deorbit process. Under NASA’s published decommissioning sequence, no crew will be onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Responsibility for Safe Station Disposal Shared Among Five Agencies
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and supply the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies revealed that existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft alone lacked adequate margin for a controlled re-entry. A July 2026 assessment by the U.S. Government Accountability Office stated that NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This figure includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement costs, and NASA’s internal expenses to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The planned delivery readiness date is October 2028, with the launch scheduled for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle will integrate a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, outfitted for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk carrying the descent propulsion system. Modifications to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array configuration have been part of the design work, according to the GAO. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and stay connected through the final phase. NASA retains ownership and operational control, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately secure the rocket needed to place it in orbit and reach the station.
Deorbit Sequence Will Last Approximately Two Years
Since its inception in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station’s mass is about 430,000 kilograms, roughly the size of a football field, and it orbits at approximately 415 kilometers altitude. Its systems are highly interdependent: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance maneuvers, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation during standard operations. These relationships underpin the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan and demand detailed coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current plan emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers in 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicated that NASA is considering whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations beyond 2028. Structural analyses support the station’s operation until 2028, with further reviews scheduled to evaluate the period afterward. Under the multinational program disclosed by Roscosmos, orbital lowering begins in 2028 and is expected to take about two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.