NASA Partners Are Developing a Post-ISS Space Ecosystem

Space agency provides updates on nine of its commercial partners developing the destinations and technology that will maintain a human presence on orbit beyond this decade.

Friday, November 29, 2024 at 04:34 PM ET

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The International Space Station (ISS) is the lone U.S. commercial space station orbiting the Earth—but by the end of the decade, low-Earth orbit will be more crowded. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA is transitioning its low-Earth orbit (LEO) presence from the retiring International Space Station (ISS) to commercially developed infrastructure by the end of the decade.
Nine commercial partners are actively developing new microgravity space stations (e.g., Orbital Reef, Starlab, Haven-1), with some projects expected to launch as early as next year.
These commercial efforts encompass a wide range of innovations, including SpaceX's Starship for deep space missions, advanced space habitats, in-orbit manufacturing, improved heat shields, and reusable cargo return vehicles.

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At the end of the decade, NASA and SpaceX will destroy the International Space Station (ISS) and bring the pieces crashing back to Earth. But the space agency has a plan to maintain a human presence in low-Earth orbit (LEO) beyond the orbital laboratory’s retirement.

NASA this week provided updates on nine of its commercial partners, which are developing technology from microgravity space stations to the vehicles that will build, service, and fly to them. Some of these NASA-backed systems could launch as early as next year, while others will deploy toward the end of the decade.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.