The end of a landmark orbital era
The International Space Station (ISS) has been one of humanity’s most remarkable space achievements, hosting an uninterrupted human presence for more than 25 years. On Nov. 2 the station celebrated 25 years of continuous occupation. However, the complex is showing signs of aging and will not operate indefinitely.
Why the ISS is being retired
Ongoing issues — including persistent air leaks and other structural concerns — mean partners must plan for a safe, controlled retirement. All five ISS partners (the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada) share responsibility for decommissioning the outpost. Most have committed to supporting operations through 2030, while Russia has indicated it will participate only through 2028.
How NASA plans to end the mission
After evaluating options, NASA and its partners determined the safest method is a controlled, targeted re-entry that will send the station into remote ocean waters so most components burn up on descent and any surviving debris falls harmlessly into the sea. To accomplish this, NASA solicited industry proposals in 2023 to provide deorbit capability; SpaceX was awarded the contract to supply the vehicle that will perform propulsive maneuvers to set the ISS on the desired re-entry corridor.
Where will it land? The re-entry corridor will be aimed at uninhabited waters in the South Pacific — the so-called "spacecraft cemetery" near Point Nemo — or a similarly remote ocean region designated by mission planners.
What will happen during re-entry
- Most modules and external hardware are expected to burn up, melt or vaporize during atmospheric entry.
- Heavier, heat-resistant fragments could survive and will be targeted to fall into remote ocean areas where they will sink to the seafloor.
- Extensive modeling and a controlled deorbit will minimize risks to people and property.
Who’s on the station now?
As of November 2025, seven crew members are onboard the ISS as part of Expedition 73. Four arrived on a joint NASA–SpaceX mission (Crew-11): NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Others aboard include NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky.
What comes next in low-Earth orbit
NASA does not plan to build another agency-owned space station. Instead, the agency intends to transition to a model in which it is one of many customers in a commercial low-Earth-orbit marketplace. Private companies are developing next-generation orbital platforms, and NASA plans to contract those providers for crew and cargo services while focusing its own resources on lunar and Mars missions.
Open questions and risks
In late 2024, the U.S. Office of Inspector General published a report raising concerns about whether the ISS can safely continue operations for an additional five years given recent structural problems. That report underscores the importance of thorough planning, continued inspections, and contingency preparations as the scheduled retirement approaches.
Bottom line
The ISS has been a cornerstone of international space cooperation and microgravity research for more than two decades. While the station will be retired — targeted for controlled re-entry by the end of 2030 — work is already underway to ensure continuity of human presence in low-Earth orbit through commercial platforms and international partnerships.
Contributing: Brooke Edwards, FLORIDA TODAY. Original reporting by Eric Lagatta for USA TODAY.
