International space agency partners have officially approved a collaborative 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 confirmed that the primary guidance and propulsion tasks will be distributed between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, guaranteeing a controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital lifespan.
According to Roscosmos, the station’s orbital descent is slated to begin in 2028, with the entire deorbit process expected to span around two years. This sequence will employ a combination of natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reduction via existing propulsion systems, and a final precise re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition plan indicates that the crew will return to Earth prior to the final large burn being executed. The maneuver aims to direct debris into a remote ocean region, minimizing risks to populations and property, rather than risking an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
Additionally, Russia and the United States intend to develop a bilateral agreement clarifying how Roscosmos and NASA will allocate responsibilities during the deorbit operation. NASA describes safe disposal as a shared duty among the five agencies managing the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The initiative specifies the combination of vehicles to be used, while the bilateral document will detail operational accountability for each agency through the multi-phase disposal process. Under NASA’s published decommissioning sequence, no crew members will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Five agencies to oversee safe station disposal
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after analyses revealed that current station propulsion and Progress spacecraft lacked sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. A July 2026 assessment by the U.S. Government Accountability Office indicated NASA set a project cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February, which includes the reported $843 million contract with SpaceX, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses for spacecraft certification. The project aims for delivery readiness by October 2028, with launch scheduled for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle consists of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft adapted for rendezvous and docking, attached to an enlarged trunk housing the necessary propulsion system for descent. According to the GAO, design modifications have been made to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding has been incorporated, and adjustments are underway for the trunk’s solar-array configuration. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station approximately 18 months prior to re-entry and remain attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately acquire the rocket needed to place it into orbit and reach the station.
Deorbiting will take roughly two years from start to finish
Constructed in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained continuous human occupancy since November 2000. Its mass is roughly 430,000 kilograms, and it spans an area comparable to a football field in low Earth orbit at about 415 kilometers altitude. The station’s systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance maneuvers, and attitude adjustments, while U.S. gyroscopes handle routine orientation control. This interdependence underpins the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan and necessitates close coordination among all involved agencies.
NASA’s current transition plan emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states that NASA plans to evaluate whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations into 2028. Structural analyses support the station’s operation through that year, with additional reviews to determine the timeline beyond. As disclosed by Roscosmos, the deorbit process will commence in 2028 and last approximately two years, culminating in a controlled re-entry designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.