Axiom Space, Blue Origin and Voyager Space are making progress with the design and development of their commercial space stations as NASA prepares to transition from the International Space Station to a private orbital laboratory.
Angela Hart, manager of the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, said the agency has reviewed the specific hardware and processes of the stations and will move forward to multiple comprehensive design reviews in 2024.
Axiom Space is on track to launch and attach its first module, dubbed Axiom Hab One, to the ISS in 2026. The company is under contract with NASA to develop additional modules for Axiom Station, which will separate from the ISS when it retires in 2031.
Blue Origin has completed tests for a window system and a structural demonstration of Orbital Reef. The structural test used a prototype of Orbital Reef’s main module, called the Core, to demonstrate the manufacturing processes needed to build the station’s final pressurized modules.
Meanwhile, Voyager Space’s Exploration Segment has concluded a system definition review and initiated an optical link demonstration and alternative urine processor demonstration for Starlab. Voyager Space has also partnered with Airbus and Northrop Grumman to support the Starlab development.
