MOSCOW, Russia / Rank Wire / – In Russia, plans are underway for the International Space Station (ISS) deorbit, with the project scheduled to commence in 2028. The initiative involves a collaborative effort between Russia and the United States, utilizing two Russian Progress cargo spacecraft alongside the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, as confirmed by Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos. All international partners engaged with the station have given their approval, establishing the trajectory for the mission and endorsing a multinational approach to its safe and controlled decommissioning. The deorbit plan assigns specific propulsion and control responsibilities to vehicles operated by the two leading partner nations, while maintaining the broader alliance’s role in ensuring a secure conclusion to the station’s decades-long operation.
Roscosmos stated that the station’s descent from orbit will start in 2028, with the entire process expected to span approximately two years. The planned sequence integrates natural atmospheric drag, intentional altitude reductions via existing thrusters, and a final precise re-entry maneuver. According to NASA’s published transition framework, crew members will return to Earth before the execution of the final burn by station operators. This maneuver aims to direct remaining debris toward an uninhabited ocean region, minimizing risks to people and property, instead of allowing an uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit once operations conclude.
A bilateral agreement between Russia and the United States is also in development to outline responsibilities during the deorbit process. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a shared duty among the five space agencies managing the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. While the program specifies the combination of vehicles involved, the upcoming bilateral agreement will clarify operational accountability between Roscosmos and NASA throughout the multi-phase deorbit operation. Under NASA’s decommissioning plan, no crew will be aboard during the final re-entry burn.
Orbital descent scheduled to start in 2028
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and deliver the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle after evaluations revealed that existing station propulsion and Progress spacecraft alone lacked sufficient margin for a controlled re-entry. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report published in July 2026 disclosed that NASA had set a project cost baseline of $1.2 billion in February. This figure includes the reported $843 million SpaceX contract, upcoming launch vehicle acquisitions, and NASA workforce costs needed to certify the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle’s readiness for delivery is targeted for October 2028, with launch planned for mid-2029.
The U.S.-developed vehicle combines a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, equipped for rendezvous and docking, with an enlarged trunk that carries the necessary propulsion system for descent. Design modifications include adjustments to the Dragon’s power system, added shielding, and enhancements to the trunk’s solar-array configuration, according to the GAO. The plan is for the spacecraft to dock with the station roughly 18 months prior to re-entry and stay attached through the final phase. NASA will be responsible for ownership and operation, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will separately procure the rocket needed for launch and station rendezvous.
Deorbit plan aims for a remote oceanic debris footprint
Since its assembly began in 1998, the ISS has maintained a continuous human presence since November 2000. The station, with an approximate mass of 430,000 kilograms and covering an area comparable to a football field, orbits at roughly 415 kilometers in low Earth orbit. Its systems are highly interdependent: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide propulsion for reboosts, debris avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine station orientation. These interconnected systems underpin the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan and demand meticulous coordination among all involved agencies.
NASA’s current transition schedule prioritizes station retirement and re-entry operations in 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicated that NASA is considering whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or to extend station operations into the future. Structural analyses support continued station operation through 2028, with additional reviews planned for the period beyond that. The approved multinational deorbit program, as disclosed by Roscosmos, will begin lowering the station’s orbit in 2028, proceeding over an estimated two-year period to culminate in a controlled atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris within a remote ocean footprint.