International space agency partners have officially approved a joint plan for deorbiting 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, confirming that primary guidance and propulsion duties will be divided between U.S. and Russian spacecraft to ensure a controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital lifespan.
According to Roscosmos, the station’s descent will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit process projected to take around two years. This will involve a combination of natural atmospheric drag, deliberate altitude decreases using existing thrusters, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s outlined transition plan states that the crew will return to Earth prior to the final large burn, which aims to direct any remaining debris into an uninhabited ocean area to minimize risks to people and property, rather than allowing the station to make an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of its operational life.
Russia and the United States are also preparing to develop a bilateral agreement that will delineate responsibility-sharing during this operation. NASA describes safe disposal as a shared duty 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 program determines the vehicle combination, the upcoming bilateral document will specify operational accountability between Roscosmos and NASA throughout the multi-stage deorbit process. Under NASA’s published decommissioning sequence, no crew will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Five agencies to oversee safe end-of-life procedures
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies revealed that existing station propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft lacked sufficient 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, which includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The goal is to have the vehicle ready for delivery by October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
This U.S. vehicle incorporates a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft designed for rendezvous and docking, along with a larger trunk equipped with the propulsion system needed for descent. Design modifications have included updates to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array configuration, according to the GAO. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and will stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate it, with its Launch Services Program separately procuring the rocket needed to place it in orbit and reach the station.
Deorbiting will span approximately two years
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station, weighing about 430,000 kilograms and roughly the size of a football field, orbits at about 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation during normal operations. These interdependent systems form the basis of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, necessitating careful coordination among the participating agencies.
NASA’s current schedule aims to decommission the station and execute 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 beyond 2028. Structural analyses support operational extension through that year, with additional reviews planned for subsequent periods. Under the multinational program outlined by Roscosmos, the station’s descent will begin in 2028, continuing for about two years, ending with a controlled atmospheric breakup intended to deposit debris into a remote ocean location.