Voyager Space and Airbus strengthen their partnership around the Starlab commercial orbital station project.
A commercial successor to the ISS
There international space station has now entered its final phase of operation, with international agreements running until 2028-2030.
With a view to replacing the orbital complex within the framework of a public-private partnership, the Nasa launched different programs, the latest being called CLD (Commercial Low Earth-orbit Destinations).
Since December 2021, it has put on the table no less than $415.6 million to support three commercial station projects proposed by private American companies:Orbital Reef of Blue Origin ($130 million), the starlab of Traveling Space ($160 million), and an unnamed station from Northrop Grumman ($125.6 million).
The objective is to save $1.3 billion per year from 2031, and up to $1.8 billion per year after 2033.
Unite American and European interests
Voyager Space’s Starlab station, which is to be launched in one block in 2028, is designed to accommodate four people.
The goal of providing 100% of the current payload capacity of theISSand the ability to conduct hundreds of experiments and technical research per year.
From the outset, the project associates Lockheed MartinAnd Airbus Defense and Space joined it last January.
On August 2, Voyager Space and Airbus announced the creation of a joint venture (American-dominated) for the construction and operation of the Starlab station: Starlab Space LLC.
In addition to the US entity, the joint venture will have a European joint venture entity to directly serve the European Space Agency and the space agencies of its member states.
To know more
To find out more about the various private space station projects currently in the running, discover our dossier published in n°2840 ofAirlines and Destinationssummer special, available on newsstands from July 27 to September 6 or in digital version.
