MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – Russia alongside the United States has developed a synchronized plan aimed at retiring the International Space Station from orbit by employing two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft in conjunction with the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, according to information from Russia’s national space agency Roscosmos. This plan has received approval from all international partners involved in the operation of the station, solidifying the proposed flight configuration and endorsing a collaborative international strategy for its controlled decommissioning. Responsibility for propulsion and control duties will be distributed among the vehicles managed by the station’s two main partners, while the broader international partnership retains oversight to ensure the safe conclusion of the longstanding program.
Roscosmos announced that the plan to gradually lower the station’s orbit is scheduled to commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit process anticipated to extend over approximately two years. The approach involves a combination of natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude adjustments utilizing existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. According to NASA’s published transition plan, crew members will return to Earth prior to the execution of the final burn, which is designed to direct any remaining debris into an unpopulated oceanic region, minimizing risks to populations and property, rather than allowing the station to descend uncontrollably from low Earth orbit at the conclusion of its operational life.
Furthermore, Russia and the United States intend to establish a bilateral agreement that will clearly define how responsibility for the operation will be divided between Roscosmos and NASA. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a shared 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 specifies the combination of vehicles to be used, the proposed bilateral document will delineate operational responsibilities during each phase of the multi-stage deorbit process. Under NASA’s established decommissioning sequence, no crew members will remain aboard during the final re-entry burn.
Orbital descent to start in 2028
In June 2024, NASA chose SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after research indicated that the station’s existing propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone lacked sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. An assessment by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, published in July 2026, revealed that NASA had set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February, which includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future procurement of launch vehicles, and NASA workforce costs required to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle’s delivery readiness is targeted for October 2028, with launch scheduled for mid-2029.
This U.S. vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk capable of providing the necessary propulsion for descent. Design modifications include updates to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk, as detailed by the GAO. The plan calls for the spacecraft to dock with the station approximately 18 months before re-entry and remain attached through the final phase. NASA will retain ownership and operational control of the vehicle, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately procure the rocket needed to place it in orbit and reach the station complex.
Targeted oceanic site for ISS reentry
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence from November 2000 onward. The station’s mass is roughly 430,000 kilograms, occupying an area comparable to a football field, and it orbits at an altitude of about 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment along with Progress vehicles provide critical functions such as propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, whereas U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation during normal operations. These interdependent systems underpin the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, necessitating detailed coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current transition plan prioritizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states that the agency is planning a review in 2027 to decide whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations beyond that year. Structural analyses support operating the station through 2028, with additional evaluations underway to determine the appropriate course afterward. According to the official multinational program disclosed by Roscosmos, the orbital lowering process will commence in 2028 and will last for about two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote oceanic area.