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Over the past half century, humans have occupied low Earth orbit (LEO) thanks to the Salyut, Skylab, Mir, and Tiangong programs, and of course the International Space Station (ISS). In addition to providing incredible views of the earthThese space stations have proven that humans can live and work in space, while providing unique lessons about microgravity and the cosmos. They have taught us about the challenges of living in microgravity and the fragility of life outside our planetary home.
But changing dynamics in the space industry will usher in a new era of private space stations tasked with continuing this legacy. The ISS — a decades-long, multinational enterprise of collaboration and technological feats — is coming to an end and could be decommissioned by the 2030s.
In turn, private companies – including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Planet, Rocket Lab, Virgin Galactic, Axiom Space and Sierra Space – are poised to ushering in a new era of commercial space stations.
Related: NASA looks to private outposts to build on International Space Station legacy
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“In the short term, commercial space stations are a critical next step to fill the void left by the impending decommissioning of the ISS,” said Lauren Andrade, a spokesperson for the Beyond Earth Institute. “In addition, commercial space stations offer a flexibility and capital that government projects simply do not have.”
Blue Origin — together with companies such as Redwire, Sierra Space and Boeing — builds Orbital reefa mixed business and science park in LEO. The space station will be a scalable, modular outpost for research, manufacturing, tourism and more. The main habitat will include 10 crew cabins.
“Commercial space stations provide both governments and private parties with greater opportunities to engage in space activities,” Andrade told Space.com.
Both the scope of activities and the modules themselves are being expanded. Orbital Reef will be Sierra Space’s inflatable Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) habitatthat are packed into a New Glenn rocket payload fairing, but then expanded once in orbit. Such a design would provide far more volume than the separate, rigid ISS modules launched by NASA’s now-retired space shuttle and Russian launch vehicles.
Sierra Space said in 2023 that it plans to launch a Pathfinder for LIFE in late 2026. That module will have a volume of 10,600 cubic feet (300 cubic meters). The company has also proposed a larger module, measuring 49,440 cubic feet (1,400 cubic m). For comparison, the Kibo module, the largest single ISS module, has a volume of 5,474 cubic feet (155 cubic m).
As part of the transition to a new generation of space stations, Axiom Space hopes to send its first commercial module to the ISS by 2026.
Both Axiom Space and Blue Origin have received support for these initiatives from NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program. Star Lab space station — a project involving Nanoracks, Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin — also won a NASA award and could launch as early as 2028.
The plan is for NASA to be just one of many customers, rather than the sole funder. Another interested party is the European Space Agency, which has signed a memorandum of understanding with Voyager Space and Airbus for Starlab. This shows strong early interest, but more and more diverse commercial partners will be needed. Other players include California-based startup Vast, which plans to launch its first private station, Haven-1around mid 2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ship.
Even if there is a time frame between the decommissioning of the ISS and the time when commercial space stations enter orbit, Tiangong Space Station will ensure a continuous presence in space. China’s three-module orbital outpost was completed in 2022 and now hosts crews of three astronauts for six months at a time. In addition, the country is already looking at commercial opportunities for Tiangong, such as expanding the outpost with new modules and commercial and tourist missions.
Expansion beyond LEO
International projects will also reach beyond LEO. Construction of NASA’s lunar orbiter Gateway Space Station will soon begin orbiting the moon as a base for future lunar explorationThe space station will provide the first human habitat beyond LEO and will involve commercial partners.
Because Gateway will orbit further than The Earth’s protective magnetic fieldwill face a range of additional challenges. These include higher radiation levels, which threaten both electronics and astronauts, as well as longer travel times, increased demands on the launch vehicle, and greater communications and power requirements.
Artemis4currently scheduled for 2028, will be the first mission to send astronauts to Gateway. The astronauts will live and work aboard the Habitable and Logistics Outpost, currently scheduled for launch in 2025, and NASA aims to add a second habitable module before the first crewed mission arrives.
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—NASA and private companies are banking on market demand for future space stations after ISS
The rise of commercial space companies and the expansion of our horizons to the moon could lead to these companies contributing to lunar exploration. Lunar orbit and surface habitats, LEO technology, and lunar exploration.
“As we have already seen with the expansion of the commercial space sector, I believe the future of commercial space stations is one of greater flexibility, faster progress,” Andrade said, “and, at the core, a step toward breaking down the barriers that limit human activities in space.”
The next 25 years promise significant advances in space exploration, driven by the ingenuity and ambition of private companies. With the right support and levels of commitment and interest, these will be the new orbital homes for research, innovation, business and international collaboration.