Global space agency partners have officially approved a joint plan to deorbit the International Space Station using two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft and a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. The multilateral agreement confirms that primary guidance and propulsion duties will be shared between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, guaranteeing a controlled and safe conclusion to the station’s orbital operations.
Roscosmos announced that the station’s descent will begin in 2028. The entire process is expected to take around two years, the space agency added. It will involve natural atmospheric drag, deliberate altitude reductions with existing thrusters, and a final re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published plan states that the crew will return to Earth before the final burn is executed. This maneuver aims to direct debris into a remote ocean area, reducing risks to people and property, and preventing an uncontrolled fall from low Earth orbit after operations end.
Russia and the United States are working on a bilateral agreement. This document will specify how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibilities during deorbit. NASA states that safe disposal is a joint duty of the five agencies operating the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The agreement will outline the vehicle combination, while the bilateral document will define operational roles throughout the disposal process. No crew members will stay aboard for the final re-entry burn, according to NASA’s decommissioning plan.
Five agencies responsible for safe station disposal
In June 2024, NASA chose SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. Studies had shown that existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft lacked enough margin for controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, published in July 2026, said NASA set a project cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This includes the $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle purchases, and NASA’s costs to certify the spacecraft for docking and operations. The goal is to have the vehicle ready by October 2028, with launch scheduled for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle features a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft equipped for rendezvous and docking, along with a larger trunk containing the propulsion system needed for descent. Design adjustments have included modifications to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and changes to the trunk’s solar array layout, according to the GAO. It will dock with the station about 18 months before re-entry and stay attached until the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while its Launch Services Program will procure the rocket for deployment into orbit and approach to the station.
The re-entry process will span approximately two years
The International Space Station has been in operation since its assembly began in 1998 and has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. It weighs around 430,000 kilograms and covers an area roughly the size of a football field. The station orbits at about 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles handle reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage regular orientation tasks. These collaborations form the foundation of the joint ISS deorbit plan and require detailed coordination among involved agencies.
NASA’s current schedule aims to retire the station and execute re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A GAO report from June 2026 states that NASA plans an assessment in 2027 to decide whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations. The agency’s analyses support operating until 2028, with further reviews for the period afterward. As per Roscosmos’s disclosed multinational plan, orbital lowering begins in 2028 and continues for about two years, ending in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.