New Era in Orbit: Private Firms Accelerate Race to Replace the ISS

Summary

A global competition is intensifying as private aerospace companies push to build the next generation of orbital space stations ahead of NASA’s planned retirement of the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030. The ISS, which has supported continuous human presence in low‑Earth orbit for more than two decades, is approaching the end of its operational life due to aging hardware and rising maintenance costs.

NASA has confirmed that it will decommission the ISS by 2030 and is shifting to a new model in which the agency becomes a customer rather than the operator of orbital infrastructure. This strategy is part of the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations (CLD) programme, designed to stimulate a competitive marketplace of privately owned and operated space stations.

Several companies are emerging as frontrunners:

• VAST, a California-based firm, is developing Haven‑1, expected to become the world’s first commercial space station. Scheduled for launch in 2026, Haven‑1 aims to host crews of four and serve as a stepping stone to larger stations in the future.
• Starlab, backed by Voyager Space and Airbus, is another major contender, with plans to deliver a modular station capable of supporting scientific research and commercial activity.
• Additional competitors include Axiom Space and Blue Origin, each pursuing their own orbital platforms as part of NASA’s broader effort to maintain a continuous U.S. presence in space after the ISS era ends.

NASA’s criteria for selecting commercial partners include affordability, safety, scientific capability, and the ability to support long-duration missions. Multiple contracts are expected to be awarded to avoid reliance on a single provider and to ensure uninterrupted access to low‑Earth orbit for research, technology development, and international collaboration.

The transition marks a major shift in space policy, reflecting NASA’s focus on deep‑space exploration—including lunar missions under the Artemis programme—while enabling private industry to take the lead in low‑Earth orbit operations.