SpaceX Starship to launch the Starlab commercial space station

Voyager Space and Airbus have been working on a joint venture called Starlab Space which aims to get a commercial space station to low Earth orbit before the International Space Station (ISS) is decommissioned. Voyager Space has now confirmed that it has secured a SpaceX Starship to launch its new space station.

Unlike the ISS, Starlab will require just one launch as it’s already preconstructed. Unlike the ISS, Starlab will only be able to host four crew members who will perform microgravity research and more.

Commenting on the news, Tom Ochinero, Senior Vice President of Commercial Business at SpaceX, said:

“Starlab’s single-launch solution continues to demonstrate not only what is possible, but how the future of commercial space is happening now. The SpaceX team is excited for Starship to launch Starlab to support humanity’s continued presence in low-Earth orbit on our way to making life multiplanetary.”

According to Voyager Space, the Starlab commercial space station will aim to serve a global customer base and organizations such as space agencies, researchers, and companies. Over the last year the company has been busy completing its Systems Requirements Review, System Definition Review, Human in the Loop testing, and more.

It said that it has also teamed up with Northrop Grumman and also plans to work with the European Space Agency, Hilton Hotels, and The Ohio State University. As the project matures this list will probably be expanded further.

For those not staying up to date on ISS matters, NASA has said that the orbital station will need to be decommissioned by the end of this decade. Even if the ISS did go offline without a direct replacement, China will still have its space station and NASA will have Lunar Gateway orbiting the Moon so there will still be a human presence in space. Nevertheless, the launch of Starlab will further bolster the numbers in space.

Hopefully, Starlab won’t face too many setbacks as always seems to be the case when it comes to big space projects. The fact that it’s being done by accomplished companies and a launch vehicle has been secured inspires some confidence about the project.

Source: Voyager Space

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