https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/10/commercial-space-stations/NASA and the commercial space industry are planning for the eventual replacement of the International Space Station (ISS), which is currently set for 2030. Companies like Axiom and VAST have already started construction on the first modules of their planned commercial stations, while others are also planning to offer commercial station capability in the future. However, questions have arisen about the viability of the market for low-Earth orbit human space stations.
Last week’s announcements by VAST regarding its initial space station — which is scheduled to be launched next year — as well as its follow-on space station are the latest developments in the commercial space station space. Meanwhile, Axiom reworked its space station design, which is also being built. Other companies like Blue Origin and Voyager Space are also working on station concepts, though it is unclear how many of these projects will make it to low-Earth orbit.
NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program is assisting the commercial sector in developing replacement space stations to fulfill the research functions that ISS performs today. As former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine famously stated, NASA’s goal is “to be one of many customers” procuring services in low-Earth orbit.
