MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – In Moscow, in early 2024, officials from Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos announced that global partners have given the green light for a joint approach to guide the International Space Station (ISS) through a carefully managed re-entry. This phased deorbit strategy involves utilizing two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft alongside the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, developed by SpaceX. The plan marks a coordinated effort by Roscosmos and NASA to share propulsion and navigation responsibilities, reinforcing international cooperation to ensure the station’s safe deorbiting process.
According to Roscosmos, the plan to gradually lower the station’s orbit will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit operation expected to span approximately two years. The process will combine natural atmospheric drag, targeted altitude adjustments using existing thrusters, and a final precise re-entry maneuver. NASA’s outlined transition framework involves the crew returning to Earth prior to the execution of the final burn by operators. This maneuver aims to direct any residual debris into a remote oceanic area, minimizing danger to people and property, rather than risking an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
Additionally, Russia and the United States plan to create a bilateral agreement that clarifies how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibilities during the deorbit operation. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a joint obligation among the five agencies operating the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The program specifies the combination of vehicles involved, while the forthcoming bilateral document will detail operational duties between the Russian and U.S. entities during each stage of the deorbit process. Under NASA’s published decommissioning sequence, no crew will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Russia and US coordinate station retirement
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after studies revealed that the station’s existing propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone lacked sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, published in July 2026, stated that NASA had set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This total includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement, 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 a launch scheduled for mid-2029.
The U.S.-built vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft designed for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk that carries the necessary propulsion system for descent. Design modifications have included updates to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array configuration, according to GAO reports. The spacecraft is planned to dock safely with the station about 18 months before re-entry and will remain attached through the final phase. NASA will operate and own the vehicle, while its Launch Services Program will be responsible for procuring the rocket to place it into orbit and reach the station complex.
Crew will leave prior to the final atmospheric burn
Since beginning assembly in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station’s mass is approximately 430,000 kilograms, spanning an area roughly the size of a football field, orbiting at about 415 kilometers altitude. Its systems are interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles supply propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation. These interdependencies underpin the joint deorbit plan and require extensive coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current plan prioritizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicates that NASA is considering a 2027 assessment regarding whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend the station’s operational period. The agency’s analyses currently support operation through 2028, with additional reviews planned for the period beyond that. As part of the multinational program revealed by Roscosmos, the orbital lowering will begin in 2028 and last for around two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.