NASA and Axiom Space Speed Up Launch of Independent Orbital Station

Image is just an illustration

In a significant shift, NASA and Axiom Space have reworked their strategy for assembling a new commercial space station, aimed at hastening its development into a standalone structure before the International Space Station (ISS) retires.

This comes as part of NASA’s broader effort to hand over low Earth orbit operations to the private sector, ensuring continued microgravity research and operations after the ISS’s decommissioning slated for around 2030.

The new plan prioritizes the launch of the Payload, Power, and Thermal Module, a crucial step that would allow the Axiom Station to operate independently by as early as 2028.

Following this phase, the station will see the addition of other modules, including Habitat 1, an airlock, Habitat 2, and a Research and Manufacturing Facility, to round out its capabilities.

Angela Hart, who heads NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, stated, ‘This revised assembly order aligns with both NASA’s and Axiom Space’s future plans and needs in orbit.’ She highlighted the significance of this partnership in paving the way for future commercial ventures in space.

With the ISS nearing the end of its operational lifespan, Dana Weigel, manager of the International Space Station Program, reflected on its legacy, ‘The ISS has been a unique platform for science for nearly a quarter-century. It’s critical that we support the transition to new space destinations to maintain our activities in microgravity.’

As the Axiom Station moves towards completion, it will benefit from the ISS’s remaining resources, which are being directed to support the U.S.

Deorbit Vehicle and other end-of-life operations. This strategic shift underscores NASA’s commitment to fostering a new era of space exploration and research, driven by commercial partnerships.