Representatives from international space agencies have officially ratified a collaborative plan to deorbit the International Space Station using two Russian Progress cargo ships along with a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. In confirming the multilateral agreement, Roscosmos, the state space agency, stated that the primary guidance and propulsion duties will be divided between U.S. and Russian spacecraft, ensuring a carefully controlled and secure conclusion to the station’s orbital phase.
According to Roscosmos, the deorbiting process is set to start in 2028, with an estimated duration of around two years. The process will involve a combination of natural atmospheric drag, deliberate altitude reductions utilizing 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 by mission operators. This maneuver aims to direct remaining debris into a remote ocean area, reducing risks to people and property, instead of allowing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of station operations.
Russia and the U.S. are also working on drafting a bilateral agreement to clarify the responsibilities of Roscosmos and NASA during the deorbit process. NASA describes safe disposal as a shared responsibility among 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 specify operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies during the multi-stage deorbiting operation, which involves the vehicle combination, while the bilateral document will define responsibilities throughout the entire process. No crew members will be aboard during the final re-entry burn, according to NASA’s decommissioning plan.
Five agencies collaborate to ensure controlled deorbit
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, after analyses revealed that existing station propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone lacked sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. An assessment published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in July 2026 reported 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, and NASA workforce expenses needed to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle’s delivery readiness is planned for October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle integrates a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft designed for rendezvous and docking, coupled with an enlarged trunk that carries the necessary propulsion system for descent. The GAO reports that design modifications have included updates to the Dragon power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array configuration. Scheduled to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry, it will stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while its Launch Services Program will separately procure the rocket needed to launch it into orbit and reach the station complex.
Controlled 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. Weighing around 430,000 kilograms, covering an area comparable to a football field, and orbiting at about 415 kilometers altitude, the station’s systems are highly interconnected. The Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes handle routine orientation tasks. These interdependent relationships form the basis of the joint architecture detailed in the ISS deorbit plan, requiring meticulous coordination among participating agencies.
NASA’s current schedule prioritizes the station’s decommissioning and re-entry in 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicates NASA plans to assess whether to proceed with launching the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations beyond 2028. The agency’s analysis supports operational continuation through 2028, with further evaluations to determine the future beyond that date. Under Roscosmos’s multinational deorbit plan, orbital lowering will commence in 2028 and last approximately two years, culminating in a controlled re-entry designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean site.