MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – A joint deorbit plan for the International Space Station (ISS) has received approval from Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos and its international partners, marking a significant step in the station’s planned end-of-life operations. The strategy involves a coordinated re-entry process utilizing two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft and the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle developed by SpaceX. This agreement establishes a unified approach to propulsion and navigation management between Roscosmos and NASA, ensuring a safe and controlled deorbit of the station through international cooperation.
The deorbit sequence is set to commence in 2028, with an estimated duration of around two years to complete the process, according to Roscosmos. The plan integrates natural atmospheric drag, targeted altitude reductions via existing thrusters, and a final precise re-entry maneuver. NASA’s transition framework stipulates that the crew must return to Earth before executing the final burn, which is designed to direct debris into a remote ocean area, minimizing risks to people and property. This approach aims to prevent an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the conclusion of operations.
A bilateral agreement between Russia and the U.S. will also be drafted to clearly define the responsibilities of Roscosmos and NASA during the station’s deorbit process. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a shared responsibility 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 vehicle configuration is established, the bilateral document will specify operational accountability for both agencies throughout the multi-stage deorbit effort. Under NASA’s decommissioning plan, no crew will stay aboard during the final re-entry burn.
Russia and US Synchronize in Planning ISS Retirement
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after assessments indicated that existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft lacked sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. An assessment by the U.S. Government Accountability Office published in July 2026 reported that NASA set a project cost baseline of $1.2 billion in February, which includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce costs needed to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The delivery is scheduled for October 2028, with the launch planned for mid-2029.
The U.S. vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, outfitted for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk containing the propulsion system necessary for descent. According to the GAO, modifications include upgrades to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array configuration. The spacecraft is slated to dock with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and remain attached through the final stage. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, with its Launch Services Program responsible for procuring the rocket to launch it into orbit and reach the station complex.
Crew Will Exit Before the Final Re-entry Maneuver
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained continuous human presence since November 2000. Weighing approximately 430,000 kilograms, it spans an area roughly equivalent to a football field and orbits at about 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are intricately linked: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation. These interdependent systems underpin the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, requiring meticulous coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current schedule emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A GAO report from June 2026 states that NASA plans to assess in 2027 whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations. Structural analyses currently support operation through 2028, with additional reviews planned for the period beyond that. Under the multinational program announced by Roscosmos, orbital lowering begins in 2028 and proceeds over roughly two years, culminating in a carefully controlled atmospheric breakup that aims to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.