The international space agency partners have officially agreed on a collaborative plan to deorbit the International Space Station using two Russian Progress cargo vehicles and a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, according to Roscosmos. This multilateral pact confirms that the main guidance and propulsion duties will be divided between American and Russian spacecraft, ensuring a controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital mission.
Roscosmos announced that the station’s descent will start in 2028, with the entire deorbit process projected to last around two years. The plan involves leveraging natural atmospheric drag, actively reducing altitude via existing propulsion systems, and executing a final precise re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition framework states that crew members will return to Earth before the final burn is initiated, with the goal of directing any remaining debris into an unpopulated ocean area to minimize risks to people and property. This approach aims to avoid an uncontrolled fall from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
A bilateral agreement between Russia and the United States is also under development, which will define how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibilities during the entire deorbit process. NASA states that safe disposal remains a joint responsibility 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 current plan establishes the configuration of the spacecraft involved, the bilateral document will specify operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies at each stage of the controlled deorbit. Under NASA’s published sequence, no crew will be aboard during the final re-entry burn.
Responsibility for the Safe Disposal Is Shared Among Five Agencies
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and supply the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies indicated that the existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft alone would not provide sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. According to a July 2026 assessment from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February, which includes the $843 million contract with SpaceX, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses for spacecraft certification and station integration. The vehicle is scheduled for delivery readiness by October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
The U.S. deorbit craft features a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft adapted for docking, coupled with an extended trunk that supplies the necessary propulsion for descent. Modifications include upgrades to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration of the trunk, as detailed in the GAO report. The spacecraft is slated to dock with the station approximately 18 months prior to re-entry and will remain attached through the final phase, with NASA owning and operating it. The agency’s Launch Services Program will be responsible for procuring the rocket needed for orbit insertion and station approach.
Estimated Two-Year Duration for Final Re-Entry Sequence
Since beginning assembly in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained continuous human presence since November 2000. It weighs about 430,000 kilograms, covers an area comparable to a football field, and orbits at roughly 415 kilometers altitude. Its systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles handle reboosts, debris-avoidance maneuvers, and attitude adjustments, while U.S. gyroscopes oversee routine orientation. These interdependent relationships underpin the joint deorbit plan, requiring close coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA aims to retire the station and complete re-entry operations by 2030, with a June 2026 GAO report indicating the agency is evaluating whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations. Structural analyses support operational continuation through 2028, with additional reviews planned for subsequent years. As disclosed by Roscosmos, the controlled orbital lowering will commence in 2028 and proceed over about two years, culminating in a planned atmospheric breakup that deposits debris into a remote ocean area.