Orbital Space Industry
LEO/GEO commerce: stations, manufacturing, tourism, energy, communications
Overview
Developing a fully orbital economy. Microgravity manufacturing, space-based energy, tourism, commercial stations, asteroid resources.
Impact: Microgravity research, commercial stations and orbital services
Involved actors
Roadmap
Starlab clears NASA's critical design review
Announced on February 23, 2026, completion of the commercial critical design review moves the program from design to manufacturing. It is the twenty-eighth milestone of its Space Act agreement.
Impact: First of the candidate stations to enter manufacturing
NASA reverts to conventional contracts for commercial stations
After switching to Space Act agreements in July 2025, NASA published a draft request for proposals on July 6, 2026 based on federal acquisition regulations: fixed-price contracts, multiple awards, at least two awardees.
Impact: Resets the ISS succession timeline
Award of NASA's phase-two contracts
Final request for proposals expected in August 2026, proposals in October, award targeted for spring 2027 according to the acquisition schedule published by Johnson Space Center.
Impact: Designates the stations that will take over
Axiom Station becomes a free-flying platform
Under the architecture revised in December 2024, the Payload Power Thermal Module is to dock to the ISS then detach to fly autonomously as soon as 2028. Axiom has published no launch date for it.
Impact: First autonomous commercial segment in orbit
End of the ISS's operational life
NASA has committed to operating the station until 2030; its deorbit will be handled by a dedicated vehicle awarded to SpaceX in June 2024 for up to $843M.
Impact: Complete shift of low Earth orbit to the commercial sector
Projects
Active
Orbital Manufacturing & Facility
Relativity Space / Made In Space
Using commercial stations for industrial production. 1000x+ margins vs the ground.
Microgravity manufacturing. Proteins, crystals, advanced materials impossible to make on the ground.
- 3D printing in orbit
- Materials science
- Pharmaceutical production
Roadmap: First commercial batch
2025-2026
SpaceX — Starshield Constellation
SpaceX
Government alternative to Starlink. Redundancy, sovereignty, rapid global coverage.
Military/government satellite constellation. Imaging, communications, ISR.
- Starshield satellites
- Ground stations
- Network architecture
- ISR capabilities
Roadmap: Constellation operational
2026-2027
ESA — Ariane 6 and the European Launcher Challenge
ESA
The European Launcher Challenge commits over 900M euros: a first successful orbital flight must be demonstrated by 2027 at the latest. Next up for Ariane 6, its first geostationary mission.
Ariane 6 is operational: eight flights between July 2024 and August 2026, including three in 2026 alone. The February 12 flight debuted the four-booster version, placing 32 Amazon Leo satellites into low orbit — around twenty tonnes; the June 17 flight carried 36, with upgraded boosters. The Bremen Ministerial Council in November 2025 subscribed over 4.4 billion euros to space transportation: the European Launcher Challenge, the future launchers preparatory program, Space Rider, a 60-tonne-class oxygen-methane cryogenic engine, and the replacement of the P120C with the P160C.
- Ariane 6
- European Launcher Challenge
- Methane propulsion
- European sovereignty
Roadmap: MTG-I2 — Ariane 6's first mission to geostationary orbit
2026
Development
Axiom Space — Axiom Station
Axiom Space
Four private missions flown to the ISS, from Ax-1 in April 2022 to Ax-4 in June 2025; Ax-5 no earlier than January 2027. Over $525M in funding closed in June 2026.
First element of the station: the Payload Power Thermal Module. The assembly architecture was revised in December 2024 — this module now launches first, docks to the ISS, then detaches early to become a free-flying platform as soon as 2028, roughly two years ahead of the original plan. Habitat One, the airlock, Habitat Two, then the research and manufacturing module will follow. The primary structure is being built by Thales Alenia Space in Turin and flight hardware is in assembly; Axiom has published no launch date.
- Habitable modules
- Research racks
- Docking adapters
- Private missions
Roadmap: Launch of the Payload Power Thermal Module
Non daté
Starlab — the station launched in a single flight
Starlab Space
Twenty-eighth Space Act agreement milestone completed. Voyager has also secured the seventh private astronaut mission to the ISS, no earlier than 2028.
Commercial station led by Starlab Space LLC, controlled by Voyager Technologies, with Airbus, Mitsubishi Corporation, MDA Space, Palantir Technologies and Space Applications Services alongside. Completion of NASA's commercial critical design review was announced on February 23, 2026: the program moves from design to manufacturing and systems integration. Starlab is to be placed in orbit in a single Starship launch, before the ISS is retired.
- Station structure
- Airlock
- Power
- Crewed operations
- Manufacturing
Roadmap: Manufacturing and systems integration
Avant 2030
Blue Origin — Space Energy Initiative
Blue Origin
SSPS (Space Solar Power Stations) concept. Clean energy, 24/7, zero-weather dependent.
Space-based solar power. Panels in orbit, microwave transmission to Earth.
- Solar arrays
- Power transmission
- Rectenna ground stations
- Microwave Power Transfer
Roadmap: Technology demonstrator
2030s