MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos announced that international partners have given their approval for a joint mission plan to manage the controlled deorbit of the International Space Station (ISS). This coordinated effort involves utilizing two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft alongside the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, constructed by SpaceX. The agreement sets the foundation for a unified propulsion and navigation system between Roscosmos and NASA, reinforcing the international partnership necessary for the safe and precise deorbiting of the station.
According to Roscosmos, the process to gradually lower the station’s orbit will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbit sequence anticipated to take approximately two years. This plan involves a combination of natural atmospheric drag, deliberate altitude reductions using existing propulsion systems, and a final re-entry maneuver that is carefully targeted. NASA’s published transition plan states that 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 ocean area, thereby reducing risks to people and property and avoiding an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of station operations.
In addition, Russia and the United States are working on drafting a bilateral agreement that will clearly outline the responsibilities of Roscosmos and NASA throughout the deorbit process. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal of the station is a shared duty among the five agencies involved in its operation, which include NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The program specifies the combination of vehicles used, while the upcoming bilateral agreement will delineate operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies throughout each phase of the multi-stage deorbit effort. Under NASA’s published sequence, no crew will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn.
Russia and US Coordinate Efforts to Dismantle the Space Station
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and supply the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after evaluations revealed that the existing station propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone did not have enough margin for a controlled re-entry. A report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in July 2026 indicated that NASA established the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February, which includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses necessary to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The target for vehicle delivery readiness is October 2028, with a launch scheduled for mid-2029.
This U.S.-built vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft designed for rendezvous and docking, enhanced with an enlarged trunk that carries the propulsion system needed for the descent phase. The GAO reports that design modifications have been made, including updates to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk. The spacecraft is expected to dock safely with the station roughly 18 months before re-entry and will stay attached through the final phase. NASA will retain ownership and operational control, while its Launch Services Program will be responsible for procuring the rocket necessary to launch and reach the station.
Departure of Crew Prior to Final Re-Entry
Since its assembly began 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 roughly equivalent to a football field, and it orbits at an altitude of about 415 kilometers. Its systems are interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes handle orientation during regular station operations. These interdependent systems form the basis of the joint deorbit architecture, requiring detailed coordination among all involved agencies. According to NASA’s current transition plan, the station will be retired and undergo re-entry maneuvers in 2030. A GAO report from June 2026 indicated that the agency is considering whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations beyond 2028, based on structural analyses supporting continued operation. The approved multinational deorbit plan, as disclosed by Roscosmos, involves starting the orbital lowering process in 2028, which will extend over approximately two years and culminate in a controlled atmospheric breakup aimed at depositing debris into a remote ocean area.