MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – Russia and the United States have established a joint plan to deorbit the International Space Station utilizing two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft alongside the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, according to Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos. This coordinated effort has received approval from all international partners involved with the station, confirming the configuration for the upcoming flight and emphasizing a collective approach to its controlled decommissioning. Responsibility for propulsion and maneuvering has been assigned to vehicles operated by the station’s two main partners, while the overall partnership remains accountable for safely concluding the station’s decades-long mission.
Roscosmos announced that the deorbit process will commence in 2028, with an estimated duration of around two years. The plan includes utilizing natural atmospheric drag, purposeful altitude reductions using existing propulsion systems, and a final re-entry maneuver. According to NASA’s published transition framework, crew members will return to Earth before the final burn is executed by mission operators. The goal of this maneuver is to direct any remaining debris into an unpopulated ocean region, minimizing risks to people and property, instead of allowing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit after operations end.
Additionally, Russia and the United States intend to formulate a bilateral agreement that will clearly define the responsibilities of Roscosmos and NASA during the deorbit phase. NASA notes that the safe disposal of the station is a shared duty among the five agencies managing it: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. While the current program specifies the vehicle configuration, the forthcoming bilateral document will delineate operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies throughout the multi-stage deorbit process. Under NASA’s published decommissioning sequence, no crew will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Deorbit operations are set to begin in 2028
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after analyses indicated that existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft alone did not provide enough margin for a controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office released in July 2026 revealed that NASA established a project cost baseline of $1.2 billion in February. This figure includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, the future procurement of launch vehicles, and NASA’s workforce expenses necessary 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 designed for rendezvous and docking, coupled with an enlarged trunk equipped with the propulsion system essential for descent. As per GAO reports, design modifications include updates to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array layout. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station approximately 18 months before re-entry, remaining attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while its Launch Services Program will procure the rocket needed to launch it into orbit and reach the station.
Targeting a remote ocean zone for ISS deorbit
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station’s mass is around 430,000 kilograms, covering a surface roughly equivalent to a football field, orbiting at approximately 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are highly interconnected: propulsion systems from the Russian segment and Progress spacecraft manage reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes handle routine orientation tasks. These interdependencies form the basis of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, necessitating detailed coordination among all involved agencies.
NASA’s current transition schedule emphasizes the station’s retirement and re-entry maneuvers targeted for 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states that NASA is considering a 2027 review to decide whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations. The agency has indicated that structural analyses support operations through 2028, with additional evaluations planned for the period afterward. According to the multinational program approved by Roscosmos, orbital lowering will commence in 2028 and extend over approximately two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris in a remote ocean area.