Since its inception in 1998, the International Space Station has served as a hub for continuous human presence in orbit, with a mass of around 430,000 kilograms and spanning nearly the size of a football field at approximately 415 kilometers above Earth. Its intricate systems rely heavily on collaboration among different space agencies, with the Russian segment and Progress spacecraft providing essential propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage regular orientation operations. This interdependent setup forms the foundation of the joint architecture detailed in the ISS deorbit plan, which demands meticulous coordination among all involved parties.
Now, as plans advance to decommission the station, international partners have officially agreed on a comprehensive plan to guide its controlled descent. The strategy involves using two Russian Progress cargo ships along with a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to safely bring the station down. Announcing this multilateral accord, Roscosmos confirmed that operational guidance and propulsion responsibilities will be split between U.S. and Russian craft, ensuring the process remains controlled and safe.
Roscosmos stated that the station’s planned descent will commence in 2028, with the entire process expected to take about two years. The sequence will involve a combination of natural atmospheric drag, deliberate altitude adjustments using existing propulsion systems, and a final targeted re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition plan specifies that the crew will return to Earth before the final burn is executed. This maneuver aims to direct any remaining debris into an uninhabited ocean region, minimizing risks to people and property, instead of allowing an uncontrolled fall from low Earth orbit at the end of the station’s operational life.
Further, Russia and the United States are working on a bilateral agreement that will delineate the responsibilities of Roscosmos and NASA throughout this operation. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a shared duty among the five agencies managing the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. This program specifies the combination of vehicles to be used, while the forthcoming bilateral document will define operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies during each stage of the deorbiting process. Under NASA’s decommissioning sequence, no crew will remain onboard for the final re-entry burn.
Responsibility for Safe Disposal Shared Among Five Agencies
In June 2024, NASA selected SpaceX to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after analyses revealed that the station’s existing propulsion system and Progress spacecraft did not have enough margin for a controlled re-entry. A Government Accountability Office report published in July 2026 reported NASA’s cost estimate for the project at $1.2 billion as of February. This figure includes the reported $843 million contract with SpaceX, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses needed to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The goal is to have the vehicle ready for delivery by October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
The U.S. spacecraft combines a SpaceX Dragon module, designed for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk that contains the propulsion system essential for descent. Design modifications have included upgrades to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the trunk’s solar-array setup, according to the GAO. The vehicle is scheduled to dock with the station roughly 18 months prior to re-entry and will remain attached through the final phase. NASA will oversee its operation, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately procure the rocket needed to place it into orbit and reach the station.
The Final Re-entry Will Take Approximately Two Years
Since beginning assembly in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. Its mass and size—about 430,000 kilograms and roughly a football-field’s area—make it a significant structure in low Earth orbit, approximately 415 kilometers above the planet. The station’s systems depend heavily on mutual support: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide essential propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude adjustments, while U.S. gyroscopes handle routine orientation tasks during standard operations. These relationships are fundamental to the joint architecture detailed in the ISS deorbit plan and require close coordination among the participating agencies.
NASA’s current schedule emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers in 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicates that NASA plans to review the possibility of launching the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extending station operations beyond 2028. Analyses suggest that the station could operate through 2028, with further evaluations planned for the period afterward. As disclosed by Roscosmos, the controlled descent will begin in 2028, lasting roughly two years, and culminating in a planned atmospheric breakup designed to direct debris into a remote ocean region, ensuring safety and environmental considerations.