List Of Commercial Space Stations
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This is a list of current and planned commercial
space station A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time, and is therefore a type of space habitat. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. An orbital station or an orbital space station i ...
s.


Axiom Segment/Axiom Space Station

Axiom Orbital Segment Axiom Orbital Segment or Axiom Segment (or AxS) are the planned modular components of the International Space Station (ISS) designed by Axiom Space for commercial space activities. Axiom Space gained initial NASA approval for the venture in J ...
or Axiom Segment are the planned components of the
International Space Station The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA ...
(ISS) designed by
Axiom Space Axiom Space, Inc., also known as Axiom, is an American privately funded space infrastructure developer headquartered in Houston, Texas. Founded in 2016 by Michael T. Suffredini and Kam Ghaffarian, the company first flew a spaceflight in 20 ...
for commercial space activities and
space tourism Space tourism is human space travel for recreational purposes. There are several different types of space tourism, including orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism. During the period from 2001 to 2009, seven space tourists made eight s ...
uses. Axiom Space gained initial NASA approval for the venture in January 2020. This orbital segment is planned to be separated from the ISS to become a separate space station, Axiom Station. It is unsure what launch vehicles will be used to launch these modules. Up to three Axiom modules could attach to the International Space Station. The first module could be launched in 2024 and would dock to the forward port of ''Harmony'', requiring relocation of
Pressurized Mating Adapter The Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA) is a class of spacecraft adapters that convert the Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) used on the US Orbital Segment to APAS-95 docking ports. There are three PMAs located on the International Space Station (IS ...
(PMA-2) to any other ports on ISS like Harmony
nadir The nadir (, ; ar, نظير, naẓīr, counterpart) is the direction pointing directly ''below'' a particular location; that is, it is one of two vertical directions at a specified location, orthogonal to a horizontal flat surface. The direc ...
. Axiom Space plans to attach up to two additional modules to its first core module, and send private astronauts to inhabit the modules. Axiom renderings illustrate how the three modules might attach to the ISS as they are berthed and relocated by the
Mobile Servicing System The Mobile Servicing System (MSS), is a robotic system on board the International Space Station (ISS). Launched to the ISS in 2001, it plays a key role in station assembly and maintenance; it moves equipment and supplies around the station, supp ...
using
Canadarm2 The Mobile Servicing System (MSS), is a robotic system on board the International Space Station (ISS). Launched to the ISS in 2001, it plays a key role in station assembly and maintenance; it moves equipment and supplies around the station, supp ...
. Canadarm2 might also continue its operations on the Axiom Space Station after the retirement of ISS in late 2020s.


Northrop Grumman

In December 2021
Northrop Grumman
signed

with
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
under th
Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development program
for $125.6 million to design a commercial free-flying space station in low Earth orbit (LEO)
Northrop Grumman has a web page
describing their "vision for space-as-a-service" which "focuses on delivering an accessible, full-service commercial space station in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) that will continue the work of the International Space Station (ISS), while expanding across multiple markets to provide optimized and tailored support for a new commercial economy."
Northrop Grumman is partnering with Rhodium Scientific
on bio-tech and bio-pharma research in low-earth orbit.


Orbital Reef

On October 25, 2021,
Blue Origin Blue Origin, LLC is an American private spaceflight, privately funded aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company headquartered in Kent, Washington. Founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Am ...
announced that together with
Sierra Space Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is an American, privately held aerospace and national security contractor specializing in aircraft modification and integration, space components and systems, and related technology products for cybersecurity and ...
it would build a 'Mixed-use space business park' in LEO called
Orbital Reef Orbital Reef is a planned low Earth orbit (LEO) space station designed by Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada Corporation's Sierra Space for commercial space activities and space tourism uses. Blue Origin has referred to it as a "mixed-use business ...
, to 'open multiple new markets in space, ndprovide anyone with the opportunity to establish their own address on orbit.
.it .it is the national top-level domain (ccTLD) assigned to Italy. Registration is open to organisations and individuals of legal age who are citizens or residents of/headquartered in the countries of the European Economic Area (EEA), the Vatica ...
will offer research, industrial, international, and commercial customers the cost competitive end-to-end services they need including space transportation and logistics,
space habitation Human presence in space is about humanity in space, particularly about all anthropogenic presence in space and human activity in space, that is in outer space and in a broader sense also on any extraterrestrial astronomical body. Humans have ...
, equipment accommodation, and operations including onboard crew. The station will start operating in the second half of this decade..' Further partners are
Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
,
Redwire Space Redwire Corporation is an American aerospace manufacturer and space infrastructure technology company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The company was formed on June 1, 2020 by the private equity firm AE Industrial Partners. History F ...
,
Genesis Engineering Solutions Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
, and
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
.


Starlab

Starlab is the name given to the planned LEO
space station A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time, and is therefore a type of space habitat. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. An orbital station or an orbital space station i ...
designed by
Nanoracks Nanoracks LLC is a private in-space services companywhich builds space hardware and in-space repurposing tools.The company also facilitates experiments and launches of CubeSats to Low Earth Orbit. Nanoracks's main office is in Houston, Tex ...
for commercial space activities uses. The company released preliminary plans in October 2021. The main structure of Starlab consists of a large inflatable habitat to be built by
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...
and a metallic docking node. The station is being designed to support 4 persons in 340 m3 of volume. The station also features a 60 kW power and propulsion element, a large robotic arm for servicing cargo and external payloads. The station is supposed to be operational in 2027. The company has partnered with other companies to realise the project: *
Nanoracks Nanoracks LLC is a private in-space services companywhich builds space hardware and in-space repurposing tools.The company also facilitates experiments and launches of CubeSats to Low Earth Orbit. Nanoracks's main office is in Houston, Tex ...
: Nanoracks owns and operates Starlab and GWC Science Park. *
Voyager Space Voyager may refer to: Computing and communications * LG Voyager, a mobile phone model manufactured by LG Electronics * NCR Voyager, a computer platform produced by NCR Corporation * Voyager (computer worm), a computer worm affecting Oracle ...
: Voyager, the majority stakeholder in Nanoracks; *
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...
: Lockheed Martin builds spacecraft systems. The company serves as the technical integrator for Starlab and will develop Starlab’s inflatable habitat module. After launch, Lockheed Martin will operate the system under Nanoracks’ leadership.


See also

*
Commercial astronaut A commercial astronaut is a person who has commanded, piloted, or served as an active crew member of a privately funded spacecraft. This is distinct from an otherwise non-government astronaut, for example Charlie Walker, who flies while represe ...
*
Space tourism Space tourism is human space travel for recreational purposes. There are several different types of space tourism, including orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism. During the period from 2001 to 2009, seven space tourists made eight s ...


References

{{Reflist, 30em Space stations Commercial space stations