Over the past half century, humanity has produced Salyut, Skylab, Mir, the Tiangong program, and of course International Space Station Amazing view of the earth
But changing dynamics in the space industry are ushering in a new era of private space stations tasked with continuing this tradition. The ISS, a massive undertaking of multinational cooperation and technological feat spanning decades, is coming to an end, likely to be decommissioned around 2030.
Meanwhile, private companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Planet, Rocket Lab, Virgin Galactic, Axiom Space, and Sierra Space are Ushering in a new era of commercial space stations
Related: NASA looks to private base to continue International Space Station legacy
“In the near term, a commercial space station is an important next step to fill the void left by the impending retirement of the International Space Station,” said Lauren Andrade, a spokesperson for the Beyond Earth Institute. “Additionally, a commercial space station offers flexibility and capital that a government-run project simply cannot have.”
Blue Origin Orbital Reef
“A commercial space station opens up more avenues for both government and private entities to engage in space activities,” Andrade told Space.com.
Both the range of operations and the module itself will be expanded. At Orbital Reef, Sierra Space Inflatable Large-Scale Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) Habitat
Sierra Space announced in 2023 that it aims to launch the LIFE Pathfinder module around the end of 2026. The module will have a volume of 10,600 cubic feet (300 cubic meters). The company has also proposed a larger module of 49,440 cubic feet (1,400 cubic meters). By comparison, the Kibo module, the largest single module on the ISS, has a volume of 5,474 cubic feet (155 cubic meters).
As part of the transition to a new generation of space stations, Axiom Space hopes to send the first commercial module to the ISS.
An artist’s depiction of the Axiom space station, the world’s first privately run space station. (Image courtesy of Axiom Space)
Axiom Space and Blue Origin are receiving support for these efforts from NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit program. Star Lab
NASA is not the only backer of this plan, just one of many customers. In fact, another company interested in building STAR Labs is the European Space Agency, which has signed memorandums of understanding with Voyager Space and Airbus. This shows early interest, but more diverse commercial partners will be needed. Other players include Vast, a Californian startup that plans to launch the first private space station. Haven-1 Falcon 9
Even though there will be a time lag between the decommissioning of the International Space Station and the launch of a commercial space station into orbit, Tiangong Space Station Commercial and Tourism Missions
China’s Tiangong Space Station. (Image courtesy of CMSE)
Expanding beyond LEO
International projects extend beyond LEO: NASA’s construction of lunar orbit Gateway Space Station Future lunar exploration
Gateway Beyond Orbit The magnetic field that protects the Earth
Artemis 4
An illustration of a docking event taking place at the future Gateway space station on the Moon’s surface. (Image courtesy of NASA)
With the emergence of commercial space companies and the expansion of our horizons to the Moon, we can expect these companies to contribute to lunar exploration: lunar orbit and lunar habitats, LEO technologies, and lunar exploration.
“As we’re already seeing with the expansion of the commercial space sector, I believe the future of the commercial space station is one of greater flexibility and more rapid progress,” Andrade said, “and essentially a step towards breaking down the barriers that limit human activity in space.”
The next 25 years are expected to see great advances in space exploration, driven by the ingenuity and ambition of private enterprise. With the right support and levels of engagement and interest, these will become new orbital hubs for research, innovation, business and international collaboration.
