Space station news and discussions

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We will talk about the space station and future space stations be they government ones or private ones!

Aerospace Startup Reveals Plans for Private Space Station
Vast Space hopes Haven-2, which includes everything from laboratories to wood-paneled entertainment rooms, will succeed the ISS after it retires in 2030.
By Adrianna Nine October 14, 2024

https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/a ... ce-station
NASA plans to retire the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030, and it's not short on succession options. With several space organizations vying for the (literal) next big thing in low Earth orbit, Vast Space, a billionaire-owned aerospace startup, is eager to outpace the competition. The company has revealed its plans for Haven-2, a private space station designed to look and feel like a luxury hotel.

Vast unveiled its mock-up images at the 75th International Astronautical Congress on Monday. Beyond meeting all of NASA's basic in-space laboratory requirements, Vast's plans for Haven-2 incorporate a series of "state-of-the-art laboratory facilities" designed to support a range of microgravity research and in-space manufacturing missions. An extravehicular activity airlock would allow astronauts to conduct spacewalks and maintenance projects as they do on the ISS, while a robotic arm would manage external payloads.

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NASA sees progress on Starlab commercial space station development
https://phys.org/news/2024-12-nasa-star ... ation.html
by NASA

A NASA-funded commercial space station, Starlab, recently completed four key developmental milestones, marking substantial progress in the station's design and operational readiness.

The four milestones are part of a NASA Space Act Agreement awarded in 2021 and focused on reviews of the habitat structural test article preliminary design, systems integration, integrated operations, and a habitat structural test plan.

"These milestone achievements are great indicators to reflect Starlab's commitment to the continued efforts and advancements of their commercial destination," said Angela Hart, program manager for NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program. "As we look forward to the future of low Earth orbit, every successful milestone is one step closer to creating a dynamic and robust commercialized low Earth orbit."
The commercial space station is designed to launch on a single flight and includes a large habitation and laboratory module with a smaller service module for power and propulsion.

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NASA Told to Overhaul Its Plans to Replace the International Space Station
A new Trump administration directive seeks to radically change NASA's vision for a continued astronaut presence in low Earth orbit.
By Passant Rabie Published August 7, 2025 |
https://gizmodo.com/nasa-told-to-overha ... 2000639959

For nearly 30 years, the International Space Station has played orbital home for astronauts from all over the world, but its time is running out. Slated to retire in 2030, NASA is aiming to replace it with a privately-run station that can host its astronauts in space when needed. And now under pressure to get a new station up and running fast and within a slashed budget, NASA’s current head—U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy—is completely overhauling the agency’s plans to replace the ISS.

In a memo signed August 4, Duffy directs NASA to revise its Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destination program, which is designed to facilitate the development of commercial stations to replace the ISS. Under the new directive, NASA would lower the bar for the minimum capabilities for new space stations, which could hamper the agency’s effort to maintain a continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit.

I'd mandate that the ISS needs to remain up and running until we have an replacement. The replacement needs to be at the minimum expandable to the size of the ISS and probably larger.

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Here are the planned space stations expected to make significant progress or become operational by 2030, ordered from largest to smallest based on their planned volume, mass, or crew capacity, where data is available. Note that exact sizes are not always fully specified, so I’m using the best available metrics (e.g., volume, mass, or crew capacity) and making reasoned estimates where necessary.

Tiangong Expansion (China) Size/Metrics: ~180 tons (expanded configuration), six modules, ~100–150 m³ internal volume (estimated based on current 90 m³ for three modules). Supports 3–6 crew members.
Details: China’s Tiangong, already operational, will expand with a new core module and the Xuntian telescope by 2026, making it the largest by mass and module count.
Timeline: Expansion by 2026.
Status: Active, with expansion plans in progress.

Axiom Station (Axiom Space) Size/Metrics: ~400–500 m³ (estimated, nearly double the ISS’s usable volume of ~241 m³), multiple modules, supports 4–8 crew.
Details: Starts as ISS modules, detaching to form an independent station by 2030. Features large cupola and advanced research facilities.
Timeline: First module launch in 2026, independent by 2030.
Status: On schedule, hardware in development.

Orbital Reef (Blue Origin, Sierra Space, et al.) Size/Metrics: ~830 m³ (based on Sierra Space’s LIFE module and core modules), supports up to 10 people.
Details: A commercial LEO station with inflatable habitats and large windows, designed for research and tourism.
Timeline: Operational by 2027–2028.
Status: In development, with testing milestones achieved.

Starlab (Voyager Space, Nanoracks, Lockheed Martin) Size/Metrics: 340 m³ (inflatable habitat), supports 4 crew members.
Details: Single-launch LEO station for research and commercial use, using SpaceX’s Starship.
Timeline: Launch in 2028.
Status: Progressing, with system tests underway.

Lunar Gateway (NASA, ESA, JAXA, CSA) Size/Metrics: ~125 m³ (estimated for initial modules), 40 tons, supports 4 crew for short missions.
Details: Lunar-orbiting station for Artemis missions and Mars research, smaller due to its specialized role.
Timeline: First modules launch in November 2025.
Status: In active development.

Haven-1 (Vast) Size/Metrics: ~100 m³ (estimated, single module), supports 4 crew.
Details: Compact LEO station for commercial use, scalable to connect with larger structures later.
Timeline: Launch in late 2025.
Status: Development on track, launch contracted.


Indian Space Station (ISRO) Size/Metrics: ~50–80 m³ (estimated, single module), supports 2–3 crew for short stays.
Details: Small LEO station for microgravity research, serviced by Gaganyaan spacecraft.
Timeline: First module by 2028, completion by 2035.
Status: Early planning, feasibility studies ongoing.

Notes:Ranking Basis: Ordered primarily by internal volume (where available) or mass/crew capacity. Tiangong’s mass (180 tons) places it first, while Axiom and Orbital Reef have larger volumes. Haven-1 and ISRO’s station are smaller, single-module designs. Exact volumes for some projects are estimates, as full designs are not public.
Uncertainties: The Russian Orbital Space Station (ROSS) was excluded due to unclear progress and lack of confirmed size metrics. Bigelow Aerospace projects are inactive. Timelines and sizes may shift due to technical or funding challenges.
Sources: Data drawn from NASA’s commercial space updates (https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/commercial-space/), SpaceX announcements, and ISRO statements. For real-time updates, check these sources or X posts from relevant organizations.

https://x.com/i/grok/share/s7QREmcQcojAwNBqAB08hUHRw

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NASA Wants to Support Multiple Manned Space Stations After ISS Retirement
It's seeking commercial partners for a test of a manned station concept before 2030.
By Jon Martindale September 8, 2025
https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/n ... retirement

With the International Space Station nearing its planned retirement date at the end of the decade, NASA is turning to the orbital space station whiteboard. On Friday, it released a draft proposal seeking commercial partners for future manned stations. The idea is for NASA to support these commercial ventures, with any such stations required to provide everything a four-person crew might need for one-month stays.

NASA has been working on plans for a post-ISS future for some time now, and outlined early proposals last year where it discussed the potential for a range of commercial space stations from private enterprises. The new announcement for partnership proposal, or AFPP, is the next step in that venture, with NASA now seeking comments on its draft, including proposals for potential manned space stations NASA can help to build and maintain moving forward.

NASA was originally planning at least one station manned by its own astronauts at all times, but as SpaceNews reports, it's now rowed back that stipulation and merely wants to ensure that four-person crews are constantly supported.

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Northrop's Cygnus XL Reaches ISS Despite Thrust Issues
It turns out the error was a non-critical software issue.
By Jon Martindale September 18, 2025
https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/n ... ust-issues

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus-XL spacecraft has successfully docked at the International Space Station just over 24 hours after it was supposed to, following a problem with the ship's main thruster. Although this initially caused NASA to pause the planned docking, the agency cleared the spacecraft to make its approach after discovering that the engine shutdown was merely caused by a misfiring safety precaution in the software.

The Cygnus-XL ship launched to the ISS on the Sept. 14 NG-23 mission without a hitch. It entered orbit successfully, then performed a pair of non-sequential burns to bring it into a close orbit with the ISS. However, NASA found that the main thruster shut down prematurely in both cases, prompting a halt to docking plans.

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Japan Launches New HTV-X Cargo Ship to ISS
It's leaner, lighter, and more capable, with the potential for additional missions after cargo transfer.
By Jon Martindale October 27, 2025

Japan sent an upgraded HTV-X cargo module on its way to the International Space Station for the first time, launching at 9 a.m. local Japan time on Oct. 26th from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center atop an H3 rocket. Developed by Japan's JAXA organization and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the HTV-X is an upgraded form of the HTV craft, which conducted nine successful missions to the ISS between 2009 and 2020, and features a number of improvements and upgrades.

Until now, there have been only three rated cargo vehicles fit for transferring hardware and supplies to the International Space Station. Russia has its Progress vehicle, which launches atop Soyuz rockets, while Northrup Grumman and SpaceX have the Cygnus (recently Cygnus XL) and Dragon capsules. With the launch of HTV-X, we may have another if its planned rendezvous with the ISS on Oct. 29 goes off without a hitch.

https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/j ... hip-to-iss

[firestar464]

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Haven Demo lays the groundwork for first private space station
By David Szondy
November 08, 2025
https://newatlas.com/space/haven-demo-c ... e-station/

It may look like an ordinary satellite, but the recently launched Haven Demo is a major step toward the first commercial space station. Built by Vast, the 1,100-lb (500-kg) uncrewed spacecraft will test core systems of the planned Haven-1 outpost.

Launched on November 1, 2025 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Haven Demo was one of 18 shared payloads for a variety of customers that formed the Bandwagon-4 mission. The satellite is scheduled to remain in orbit for six months during which it will carry out a series of tests to reduce the risk of failure when Haven-1 is put into orbit in May of next year.

True, the Haven Demo doesn't look like any sort of space habitat. There's no balloon-like module for astronauts to hang out in, but it does have propulsion systems, flight computers, navigation and guidance systems, communication units, and power systems similar to those that will be used on Haven-1. The Haven Demo will not only validate these systems in orbit, but it will also test the ground network and mission operations infrastructure back on Earth.

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US-Russian crew of 3 blasts off to the International Space Station in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft
https://phys.org/news/2025-11-russian-c ... space.html
edited by Andrew Zinin

A U.S.-Russian crew of three began a mission to the International Space Station aboard a Russian spacecraft following a successful launch Thursday.

A Soyuz booster rocket lifted off at 2:27 p.m. (9:27 a.m. GMT) from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan to put the Soyuz MS-28 into orbit.

The spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian crewmates, Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov. The craft docked at the International Space Station approximately three hours after liftoff at 5:34 p.m (12:34 p.m. GMT).

All three are expected to spend about eight months at the orbiting outpost. NASA said this is the first spaceflight for Williams, a physicist, and Mikaev, a military pilot. This is the second flight for Kud-Sverchkov.

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For the First Time, the ISS Has 8 Spacecraft Docked Simultaneously
The station is so crowded that a temporary separation was required to make room for an incoming Russian vessel.
By Jon Martindale December 3, 2025

The International Space Station has been consistently occupied since the Expedition 1 crew arrived in November 2000, but sometimes it gets a little busier than others. At the moment, eight spacecraft are docked with the ISS, requiring all its docking ports. This is a first in its 25-year history, NASA reports.

The ISS is currently playing host to Russian spacecraft Soyuz MS-27, connected to the Russian Prichal module; Russian MS-28, attached to the Rassvet module; Northrop Grumman's Cygnus-23 cargo module, attached to the station's Unity module; the Russian robotic cargo spacecraft Progress-92 and Progress-93, both attached to the Russian Poisk and Zvezda modules; and the Japanese HTV-X1 cargo craft, which is connected to the nadir port of the Harmony Node 2. There are a pair of SpaceX Dragon capsules (Crew-11 and CRS-33) docked with the Harmony module, too.

This is all so much that NASA recently had to make some maneuvers to allow the MS-28 spacecraft to dock safely. It used the ISS's robotic Canadarm2 to move the Cygnus-23 module, providing the Russian spacecraft with additional clearance for a safe docking procedure. Cygnus was then reinstated at the Unity module's docking port.

https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/f ... ltaneously

[Yuli Ban]

Makes me wonder when the first outright space colony will be constructed.

Hmmm I wonder what would be needed to create one.

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The World's First Commercial Space Station Is Nearly Ready to Launch
With the ISS retiring in just four years, plans are accelerating for its replacement.
By Jon Martindale January 21, 2026

The Haven-1 commercial space station is being prepped for its impending launch, Ars Technica reported Tuesday. Although it's just a trial run for future endeavours, its developer, Vast, hopes to one day help replace the International Space Station when it retires in 2030.

With an internal volume of just under 1,600 cubic feet, Haven-1 is minuscule compared with the ISS, which has a habitable volume of 13,696 cubic feet. Haven-1 isn't designed to replace the ISS, then, but showcase what a next-generation space station could be like: one that's more focused on human habitation and comfort than science and technological trials.

Haven-1 is designed to operate with a SpaceX Dragon capsule providing much of its necessary life support, but with that in place, it should be able to sustain crews of four for several weeks at a time. The plan is to begin with 30-day missions and build up from there. NASA's long-term plan is to develop these commercial space stations into permanent human habitats.

https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/t ... -to-launch

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