International space agency partners have formally approved a joint plan to deorbit the International Space Station utilizing two Russian Progress cargo ships along with a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. The announcement of this multilateral agreement came from Roscosmos, the state space agency, which confirmed that the main guidance and propulsion duties will be divided between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, guaranteeing a controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital operations.
The process to lower the station’s orbit is scheduled to begin in 2028, with Roscosmos stating that the deorbit will take approximately two years. The plan involves a combination of natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reductions with existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition framework states that the crew will return to Earth before the final burn is commanded by operators. This maneuver aims to direct any remaining debris into an unpopulated ocean area, minimizing risks to people and property, rather than permitting an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
Russia and the United States also intend to draft a bilateral agreement that clearly outlines how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibility during this operation. NASA describes 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 combination, the planned bilateral document will detail operational responsibilities between the Russian and U.S. entities throughout the multi-stage disposal process. Under NASA’s published decommissioning sequence, no crew will remain onboard for the final re-entry burn.
Responsibility for Safe ISS Disposal Shared by Five Agencies
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after analyses revealed that the existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft alone lacked enough margin for a controlled re-entry. An assessment 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. This figure includes the reported $843 million contract with SpaceX, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses necessary to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle is scheduled to be ready for delivery by October 2028, with a launch planned for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle features a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft adapted for rendezvous and docking, coupled with an enlarged trunk that provides the propulsion system needed for descent. According to the GAO, modifications have been made to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding has been installed, and adjustments are underway for the trunk’s solar-array configuration. The plan is for the vehicle to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while its Launch Services Program will independently procure the rocket required to place it into orbit and reach the station.
The Final Re-entry Will Last About Two Years
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. Weighing approximately 430,000 kilograms, it covers an area roughly equal to a football field and orbits at about 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. The station’s systems are highly interconnected: propulsion for reboosts, debris-avoidance maneuvers, and attitude control is provided by the Russian segment and Progress vehicles, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation during normal operations. These relationships are fundamental to the joint architecture detailed in the ISS deorbit plan and require close coordination among the participating agencies.
NASA’s current schedule emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states that the agency is considering whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations. Structural analyses support continuing operations through 2028, with additional reviews planned for the period beyond that date. As outlined in the multinational program disclosed by Roscosmos, orbital lowering will commence in 2028 and proceed for approximately two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.
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