International space agency partners have officially approved a joint plan to deorbit the International Space Station using two Russian Progress cargo ships and a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. Roscosmos, the state space agency, confirmed that the main guidance and propulsion duties will be shared between U.S. and Russian spacecraft. This division aims to ensure a controlled and safe conclusion to the station’s orbital life.
The plan is to start lowering the station’s orbit in 2028. The process is expected to take about two years, Roscosmos stated. It will combine natural atmospheric drag, deliberate altitude reductions using existing propulsion, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition plan states that the crew will return to Earth before the final burn is initiated. This maneuver aims to direct debris into an unpopulated ocean area, minimizing risks to people and property. The goal is to avoid an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
Russia and the U.S. are also working on a bilateral agreement. This will clearly define how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibilities during the deorbit process. NASA describes safe disposal as a joint obligation of the five agencies operating the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The existing program specifies the vehicle configuration. The upcoming bilateral agreement will outline operational accountability for the agencies throughout the multi-stage deorbit effort. Under NASA’s plan, no crew will stay aboard during the final re-entry burn.
Five agencies share the duty of safe disposal
In June 2024, NASA chose SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. This decision came after studies showed that the station’s existing propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone could not guarantee a controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, published in July 2026, stated NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This includes the $843 million contract with SpaceX, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce costs to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle’s readiness for delivery is targeted for October 2028, with a launch planned for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle features a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft equipped for rendezvous and docking. It carries an enlarged trunk with the necessary propulsion system for descent. Design modifications have included upgrades to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration, according to the GAO. The spacecraft will dock with the station approximately 18 months before re-entry and stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while its Launch Services Program will procure the rocket needed to reach the station.
The final re-entry process will span roughly two years
The International Space Station has been operational since its assembly began in 1998. It has continuously hosted humans since November 2000. The station weighs about 430,000 kilograms and covers an area roughly that of a football field. It orbits in low Earth at about 415 kilometers altitude. Its systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide reboosts, debris avoidance maneuvers, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage normal station orientation. These relationships are fundamental to the joint deorbit plan, requiring detailed coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current schedule aims to retire the station and conduct re-entry maneuvers in 2030. A GAO report from June 2026 states NASA plans a 2027 assessment on whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations. Structural analyses support operating through 2028, with further reviews addressing subsequent years. According to the multinational program disclosed by Roscosmos, orbital lowering will begin in 2028 and continue for about two years, ending with a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.