MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – According to Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, Russia and the United States have developed a joint plan to deorbit the International Space Station using two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft alongside the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. This coordinated effort has received approval from all international partners involved with the station, establishing the planned flight configuration and affirming a multilateral approach to its managed retirement. The deorbit plan distributes propulsion and control responsibilities among vehicles operated by the station’s two main partners, while the broader international partnership retains the duty of ensuring a safe conclusion to the decades-long mission.
Roscosmos states that the station’s descent from orbit will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit operation expected to span roughly two years. The process will involve a combination of natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reductions utilizing existing propulsion systems, and a final controlled re-entry maneuver. NASA’s transition framework specifies that crew members will return to Earth prior to the final burn being executed by mission operators. This maneuver aims to direct any remaining debris into an uninhabited ocean area, thereby minimizing risks to people and property, rather than allowing the station to make an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the conclusion of its operational life.
Both Russia and the U.S. also plan to formulate a bilateral agreement that clarifies how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibilities during the disposal process. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is 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. While the program defines the vehicle configuration, the forthcoming bilateral agreement will specify operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies throughout the multi-stage deorbit effort. No crew members are expected to remain onboard during the final re-entry burn, following NASA’s published decommissioning plan.
Descent from orbit scheduled to start in 2028
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and supply the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies indicated that existing station propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone lacked sufficient margin for the planned controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office released in July 2026 revealed that NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This figure includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement expenses, and NASA workforce costs needed to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle is expected to be ready for delivery by October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle integrates a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, modified for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk carrying the propulsion systems necessary for descent. The design process has involved modifications to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk, according to the GAO. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station approximately 18 months before re-entry and will stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while its Launch Services Program will separately procure the rocket required to launch it into orbit and reach the station.
ISS deorbit plan aims for a remote ocean zone
Since beginning assembly in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained continuous human occupancy since November 2000. The station weighs roughly 430,000 kilograms, spans an area comparable to a football field, and orbits at about 415 kilometers above Earth. Its systems are highly interdependent: propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control comes from the Russian segment and Progress vehicles, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation during normal operations. These interconnections form the foundation of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, requiring meticulous coordination among the involved agencies.
NASA’s current schedule prioritizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicated that NASA is considering a 2027 assessment to decide whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations. The agency’s analyses support operating the station through 2028, with further reviews planned for the period afterward. Under the multinational program approved by Roscosmos, the descent process begins in 2028 and lasts approximately two years, culminating in a carefully controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris within a remote ocean zone.