An official joint plan for deorbiting the International Space Station has been approved by international space agency collaborators. The plan involves utilizing two Russian Progress cargo ships along with a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. Roscosmos confirmed that the main guidance and propulsion duties will be shared between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, ensuring a controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital mission.
The process to bring down the station’s orbit is scheduled to start in 2028, with Roscosmos stating that it will take approximately two years to complete. The approach will blend natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reduction via existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition framework indicates that the crew will return to Earth prior to the execution of the final burn. This maneuver is designed to direct any remaining debris into an uninhabited ocean region, reducing risks to people and property, and avoiding an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of operations.
Russia and the United States are also working on drafting a bilateral agreement that will clearly define the responsibilities of Roscosmos and NASA during the deorbit process. NASA emphasizes that the safe disposal of the station is a shared duty among the five organizations managing it: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The program will specify the combination of vehicles used, while the upcoming bilateral agreement will outline operational responsibilities for each agency throughout the multi-stage deorbit operation. No crew members will remain aboard for the final re-entry phase, according to NASA’s decommissioning sequence.
Five Agencies Committed to Ensuring Safe ISS Disposal
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and supply the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies indicated that current station propulsion and Progress spacecraft alone did not have enough margin to carry out a controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office issued in July 2026 revealed NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This total includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA’s workforce costs necessary for certifying the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The planned delivery readiness date is October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk that carries the propulsion systems needed for descent. According to the GAO, the design modifications have included changes to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk. The spacecraft is expected to dock safely with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and remain attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, with its Launch Services Program separately procuring the rocket to place it in orbit and reach the station complex.
The final re-entry will span approximately two years
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. It has a mass of about 430,000 kilograms, covers an area roughly equivalent to a football field, and orbits at approximately 415 kilometers above Earth. The station’s systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress ships provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation during normal operations. This interdependence forms the foundation of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan and requires meticulous coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current transition plan prioritizes the station’s retirement and re-entry operations set for 2030. The June 2026 GAO report indicates that NASA is considering whether to proceed with launching the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations. The agency’s structural analyses support operations through 2028, with further evaluations planned to address the period beyond that. Under the international program disclosed by Roscosmos, the orbital lowering process will commence in 2028 and last approximately two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris within a remote ocean area.