MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – Russia and the United States have outlined a joint plan to deorbit the International Space Station using a combination of two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft and the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, according to Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos. All international partners involved in operating the station have approved the program, confirming the planned mission architecture and endorsing a multinational approach to its controlled decommissioning. Responsibilities for propulsion and station control are allocated across the vehicles operated by the two main partners, with the broader partnership remaining responsible for ensuring a safe end to the station’s decades-long operational life.
Roscosmos announced that the station’s descent from orbit will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit process projected to last around two years. The sequence will involve leveraging natural atmospheric drag, intentionally reducing altitude through existing propulsion systems, and executing a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s publicly available transition plan specifies that crew members will return to Earth before the final burn is initiated. This maneuver aims to direct any remaining debris into an uninhabited ocean region, minimizing risks to people and property, rather than allowing the station to descend uncontrollably from low Earth orbit at the conclusion of its mission.
Additionally, Russia and the United States are working on drafting a bilateral agreement that will define how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibilities during the deorbit operation. NASA describes safe disposal as a collective obligation among the five agencies managing the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The program specifies the combination of vehicles to be used, while the upcoming bilateral document will clarify operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies across each phase of the multi-step disposal process. Under NASA’s decommissioning sequence, no crew will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Orbital descent scheduled to start in 2028
In June 2024, NASA chose SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after analyses revealed that the station’s existing propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone could not provide sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. According to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report published in July 2026, NASA established the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This figure includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle acquisitions, and NASA workforce expenses necessary to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The delivery readiness date is set for October 2028, with the launch targeted for mid-2029 for the mission.
The U.S. vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk containing the propulsion system needed for descent. Design modifications have included upgrades to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk, as detailed by the GAO. The plan is for the spacecraft to dock safely with the station approximately 18 months before re-entry and remain attached through the final phase. NASA will be responsible for its ownership and operation, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately procure the rocket needed to place it into orbit and reach the station complex.
Targeting a remote ocean site for re-entry
The International Space Station, initiated in 1998, has maintained continuous human presence since November 2000. The station’s mass is approximately 430,000 kilograms, covering an area roughly equal to a football field, and orbits at about 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles supply propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation during normal operations. These interconnected systems form the basis of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, requiring precise coordination among participating agencies.
NASA’s current transition plan emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A GAO report from June 2026 indicated that NASA is considering whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations beyond 2028. Structural analyses support continuing operations through 2028, with further assessments planned to determine the feasibility of extending beyond that date. As part of the multinational program revealed by Roscosmos, orbital lowering will begin in 2028 and last approximately two years, culminating in a carefully controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean region.