Roscosmos has declared that all international space agency partners have officially approved the plan for a controlled shutdown of the International Space Station. The joint strategy involves two Russian Progress cargo ships and a dedicated U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to oversee atmospheric re-entry. This agreement ensures critical propulsion and navigation duties are shared between Russia and the United States, ending decades of cooperative station operation under a unified safety protocol.
The process to lower the station’s orbit will start in 2028, with the full deorbit taking around two years, Roscosmos reported. The plan combines natural atmospheric drag, altitude reductions using existing thrusters, and a final precise re-entry maneuver. NASA’s published transition plan states that crew members will return to Earth before the final burn is initiated. This maneuver aims to guide debris into an unpopulated ocean area, minimizing risks to people and property, instead of allowing uncontrolled descent from low Earth orbit at the end of its operational life.
Russia and the US also intend to create a bilateral agreement clarifying how Roscosmos and NASA will share responsibility during the deorbit process. NASA emphasizes that safe disposal is a joint effort among the five agencies involved in operating the station: NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The program specifies the vehicle combination, while the bilateral agreement will detail operational accountability between the Russian and U.S. agencies across the multiple stages of deorbiting. Under NASA’s current plan, no crew will stay onboard during the final re-entry burn.
NASA Establishes $1.2 Billion Budget for Deorbit Vehicle Development
In June 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX the contract to develop and supply the uncrewed U.S. Deorbit Vehicle. This decision followed findings that existing station propulsion systems and Progress spacecraft alone could not support the planned controlled re-entry. A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, published in July 2026, states NASA set the project’s cost baseline at $1.2 billion in February. The total includes an $843 million contract with SpaceX, future launch vehicle procurement, and NASA’s costs for certifying the spacecraft for docking and station operations. The vehicle is expected to be ready for delivery by October 2028, with a launch targeted for mid-2029.
This U.S. vehicle features a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft designed for rendezvous and docking, coupled with a larger trunk that provides the necessary propulsion for descent. The design process involved modifications to the Dragon’s power system, additional shielding, and adjustments to the solar-array configuration on the trunk, according to the GAO. The plan calls for the spacecraft to dock with the station about 18 months before re-entry and stay attached through the final phase. NASA will own and operate the vehicle, while the agency’s Launch Services Program will procure the rocket needed to place it into orbit and reach the station.
Enhanced Dragon Vehicle for Additional Propulsion Capability
Since beginning assembly in 1998, the International Space Station has maintained continuous human presence since November 2000. It weighs approximately 430,000 kilograms, covers an area comparable to a football field, and orbits at about 415 kilometers above Earth. Its systems are interconnected: the Russian segment and Progress vehicles provide reboosts, debris-avoidance, and attitude control, while U.S. gyroscopes manage routine orientation. These dependencies form the foundation of the joint architecture outlined in the ISS deorbit plan, requiring extensive coordination among participating agencies.
NASA’s current plan aims for station retirement and re-entry maneuvers by 2030. A June 2026 GAO report indicates NASA is considering whether to launch the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle in 2029 or extend the station’s operational period. Structural analyses support operation through 2028, with additional reviews to evaluate beyond that. As disclosed by Roscosmos, the controlled lowering begins in 2028 and lasts about two years, concluding with a safe atmospheric breakup designed to deposit debris into a remote ocean area.
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