In Moscow, Russia, and through Rank Wire, international space agency collaborators 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 primary guidance and propulsion duties will be divided between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, guaranteeing a controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital lifespan.
Roscosmos stated that the station’s orbital descent is scheduled to commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit process expected to last around two years. This sequence will employ natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reduction via existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. According to NASA’s published transition plan, crew members will return to Earth prior to the execution of the large final burn. This maneuver aims to direct any remaining debris into a remote ocean area, minimizing danger to humans and property, rather than allowing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit after operations conclude.
A bilateral agreement between Russia and the United States is also planned to outline the division of responsibilities during the deorbit process. NASA describes the safe disposal as a collective obligation among the five agencies operating the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. While the vehicle configuration is established, the forthcoming bilateral document will delineate operational accountability between Roscosmos and NASA throughout the multiple stages of the station’s deorbit. No crew members will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn, according to NASA’s published decommissioning procedures.
Five agencies to share responsibility for station’s safe disposal
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies indicated that the existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft alone did not provide enough margin for a controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, published in July 2026, noted 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, and NASA workforce costs necessary for certifying the spacecraft’s docking and operational capabilities. The vehicle’s delivery readiness is targeted for October 2028, with a launch planned for mid-2029 for the mission.
The U.S. spacecraft combines a SpaceX Dragon module, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk that carries the needed propulsion system for descent. Modifications have been made to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding installed, and work has been done on the trunk’s solar-array layout, as reported by the GAO. The plan is for the spacecraft to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and remain attached until the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately acquire the rocket needed to launch it into orbit and reach the station complex.
The final re-entry operation will span about two years
Since its beginning in 1998, the International Space Station has sustained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station, which has a mass of approximately 430,000 kilograms, covers an area comparable to a football field and orbits at approximately 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation. These interdependent systems form the basis of the joint deorbit plan, requiring extensive coordination among the involved agencies.
NASA’s current schedule emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report outlined NASA’s plan to evaluate in 2027 whether to proceed with launching the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations. The agency has indicated that structural analyses support operation through 2028, with additional reviews addressing the period beyond that. According to the multinational program disclosed by Roscosmos, the orbital lowering will commence in 2028 and proceed over roughly two years, ending with a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris in a remote ocean area.