The commercial space station landscape is witnessing a significant development as Starlab advances into full-scale production following a successful Preliminary Design Review (PDR) with NASA. This joint initiative between U.S.-based Voyager Technologies and European Airbus represents a critical step toward establishing sustained human presence in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) beyond the International Space Station’s retirement.
Designed to accommodate four occupants within its habitat module and attached service segment, Starlab is scheduled for a 2028 deployment aboard SpaceX’s Starship launch system in one piece. The venture has expanded its collaborative framework to include the European Space Agency – ESA, Japanese industrial partner Mitsubishi Corporation, and Canadian space robotics pioneer MDA Space.
The station’s 340 cubic meter pressurized volume will house advanced research capabilities including specialized experiment racks and a robotic manipulation system, enabling microgravity research across multiple disciplines. These facilities aim to support both governmental and commercial research initiatives once operational. Current development priorities include constructing a high-fidelity mockup at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for systems testing and integration of critical life support technologies.
Financial backing for Starlab combines both public and private funding streams, including $217.5 million through NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations program and $15 million from Texas Space Commission, supplemented by private capital investments.
As the ISS approaches its planned decommissioning in 2031, the station is one of several currently in development by U.S. companies. It may be that there will be multiple commercial space stations including Starlab, maintaining continuous human presence in orbit while transitioning space station operations toward a more commercially oriented model. Announced in 2022, the collaboration between Hilton and Voyager Space aims to bring unparalleled comfort to their state-of-the-art scientific discovery and crew habitation spaces aboard Starlab. The new station, operated through a US-led, global joint venture will benefit from Hilton’s expertise in hospitality and design. The program demonstrates how public-private partnerships continue reshaping access to the orbital microgravity environment, enabling broader scientific and commercial activities including space tourism.
