Roscosmos has confirmed that all international space agency partners have officially approved the planned decommissioning scheme for the International Space Station. According to the joint plan, two Russian Progress cargo ships and a dedicated U.S. Deorbit Vehicle will oversee the atmospheric re-entry process. This agreement ensures critical propulsion and navigation responsibilities are shared between Russia and the United States, marking the end of decades of collaborative station operations under a unified safety protocol.
The targeted orbital descent will commence in 2028, with the entire deorbiting process expected to span roughly two years, Roscosmos indicated. The method involves harnessing natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude adjustments using existing thrusters, and a final precise re-entry maneuver. NASA’s transition plan directs crew members to return to Earth before the final burn is executed. This maneuver aims to deposit debris into an uninhabited ocean region, minimizing risks to people and property, rather than allowing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at mission end.
Russia and the U.S. are also working on a bilateral agreement that will clarify each agency’s responsibilities during the entire operation. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a shared duty among the five agencies managing the station: NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and the Canadian Space Agency. The existing program specifies the vehicle configuration, while the upcoming bilateral document will define operational accountability between Roscosmos and NASA during the multi-phase deorbit process. No crew will remain onboard during the final re-entry burn, as per NASA’s decommissioning schedule.
NASA Allocates $1.2 Billion Budget for Deorbit Vehicle Development
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, following findings that existing station thrusters and Progress spacecraft alone could not ensure sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. An assessment by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in July 2026 revealed that NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. This figure includes the $843 million contract with SpaceX, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA workforce expenses necessary to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The goal is to have the vehicle ready for delivery by October 2028, with launch scheduled for mid-2029.
The vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk carrying the propulsion system needed for descent. Design modifications include adjustments to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and solar-array configuration updates for the trunk, according to the GAO. It is planned to dock with the station approximately 18 months before re-entry, remaining attached through the final phase. NASA will operate and own the vehicle, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately handle the procurement of the rocket needed to place it into orbit and reach the station.
Enhanced Propulsion via Modified Dragon Capsule
Since its assembly in 1998, the International Space Station has hosted continuous human presence since November 2000. It weighs about 430,000 kilograms, spans roughly the size of a football field, and orbits at approximately 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are highly interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress spacecraft provide reboost, debris-avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage regular orientation during operations. These dependencies are integral to the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan and necessitate careful coordination among all participating agencies.
NASA’s current plan emphasizes retiring the station and executing re-entry maneuvers in 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicated the agency is considering a 2027 assessment on whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations. Structural analysis supports operation through 2028, with additional reviews planned for the subsequent period. According to the disclosed multinational plan, starting in 2028, the orbital descent will proceed over about two years, culminating in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.
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