MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – The international partnership to safely deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) has received approval from Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos and its partners, confirming a coordinated plan to guide the station through a controlled re-entry. This joint effort involves two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft working alongside the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, developed by SpaceX. The arrangement establishes a unified propulsion and navigation system between Roscosmos and NASA, ensuring a collaborative approach to the station’s precise and safe deorbiting process.
Roscosmos announced that the plan to 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, deliberate altitude reductions using existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s publicly available transition plan specifies that crew members will evacuate the station prior to the execution of the final burn, which is designed to direct any remaining debris into an unpopulated ocean area, minimizing risks to people and property. This approach prevents the station from undergoing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit after operations conclude.
Additionally, Russia and the United States are preparing to establish a bilateral agreement that will detail how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibilities during the deorbit process. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a responsibility shared among the five agencies operating 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 upcoming bilateral treaty will clarify operational responsibilities for both Roscosmos and NASA during each stage of the controlled deorbit. Under NASA’s published decommissioning sequence, no crew members will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Russia and US work together on station shutdown plans
In June 2024, NASA chose SpaceX to develop and supply the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, after studies revealed that existing station propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone did not provide enough margin for a controlled re-entry. An assessment from the U.S. Government Accountability Office published in July 2026 indicated 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’s workforce costs necessary to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle is scheduled for delivery readiness in October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
The U.S.-built vehicle features a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft equipped for rendezvous and docking, complemented by a larger trunk housing the necessary propulsion system for descent. Design modifications include upgrades to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array configuration, according to the GAO. The plan calls for the spacecraft to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry, remaining connected through the final phase. NASA retains ownership and operational control, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately handle procurement of the rocket needed for launch and orbital insertion.
Crew will exit before the final re-entry maneuver
Since beginning assembly in 1998, the ISS has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station’s mass is approximately 430,000 kilograms, covering an area comparable to a football field, orbiting at about 415 kilometers above Earth. Its systems are interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine station orientation. These interdependent systems form the basis of the joint deorbit plan and require careful coordination among all involved agencies.
NASA’s current schedule prioritizes retiring the station and completing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states that the agency is considering a 2027 assessment to decide whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations. Structural analyses support operation through 2028, with ongoing reviews to evaluate options beyond that date. Under the multinational plan disclosed by Roscosmos, the orbital lowering process will begin in 2028 and proceed for roughly two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup aimed at depositing debris in a remote ocean region.