MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – Roscosmos, Russia’s national space agency, has confirmed that international partners have approved a collaborative plan to steer the International Space Station (ISS) through a controlled descent. This plan involves two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft working alongside the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, developed by SpaceX. The agreement marks the establishment of a joint propulsion and navigation framework between Roscosmos and NASA, ensuring an international effort to safely and precisely deorbit the station.
Roscosmos indicated that the station’s descent will commence in 2028, with the entire process estimated to last around two years. The approach combines the natural effects of atmospheric drag, targeted altitude reductions using existing propulsion systems, and a final precise re-entry maneuver. According to NASA’s published transition plan, the crew will return to Earth before the final burn is commanded. The maneuver aims to direct debris into an unpopulated ocean area, reducing risk to humans and property, instead of allowing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
A bilateral agreement between Russia and the United States is also being drafted to clarify how responsibility will be divided during the deorbit operation. NASA highlights 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 program defines the vehicle setup, the bilateral agreement will specify operational accountability for each agency throughout the multi-stage deorbit procedure. No crew will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn as per NASA’s published decommissioning sequence.
Russia and US Collaborate on Station Dismantling Strategy
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after analysis 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 noted that NASA 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 necessary for certifying the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The goal is to have the vehicle ready for launch by mid-2029, with delivery scheduled for October 2028.
The U.S. Deorbit Vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, adapted for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk that carries the propulsion system needed for re-entry. The GAO reports that design modifications have included updates to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk. The vehicle is scheduled to dock with the station approximately 18 months before re-entry and will remain attached through the final stage. NASA will own and operate this vehicle, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will be responsible for procuring the rocket needed to place it into orbit and reach the station.
Pre-emptive Crew Departure for Final Re-entry
Since its assembly began in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained continuous human presence since November 2000. The station, which spans roughly the size of a football field, has a total mass of about 430,000 kilograms and operates in low Earth orbit at approximately 415 kilometers altitude. Its systems are intricately interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress spacecraft provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes handle routine orientation tasks. These interdependencies form the basis of the joint deorbit plan, requiring meticulous coordination among all involved agencies.
NASA’s current schedule emphasizes retiring the station and performing re-entry procedures by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report states that the agency plans to evaluate in 2027 whether to proceed with launching the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations. Structural analyses currently support operation through 2028, with further reviews planned for beyond that period. Under the multinational deorbit program disclosed by Roscosmos, the orbital lowering process will start in 2028 and continue for nearly two years, concluding with a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.