As the International Space Station nears its 2030 planned retirement, both American and European players are accelerating efforts to ensure a continued human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO). American companies are spearheading multiple commercial station projects, while Europe is increasingly aligning itself as a strategic partner in the emerging space economy.

NASA has taken a clear stance: rather than replace the ISS with another government-owned platform, it’s backing private companies to build and operate commercial stations. Through its Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations (CLD) program, NASA is funding early design and development, with plans to purchase services as a customer once the stations are operational.

Here are where the key U.S. projects stand:

Axiom Station (Axiom Space)

Axiom will launch its first module to the ISS in 2026, marking the beginning of the Axiom Station. Only one module, the Payload Power Thermal Module (AxPPTM), will be attached to ISS. When Habitat 1 (AxH1) is launched, AxPPTM will detach from ISS and will dock with AxH1, separate from NASA’s orbiting outpost.

Axiom already has experience flying private missions to the ISS, is building new EVA spacesuits, and is one of the most advanced competitors in the commercial space station market in terms of flight readiness.

Let’s hope they come up with some friendlier names for each of the modules.

Haven-1 & Haven Demo (Vast Space)

Vast Space is building a modular station beginning with Haven-1, planned for launch in May 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. It will support short-duration missions for four crew members and is designed to operate autonomously before more complex modules are added.

Ahead of Haven-1, Vast will launch a Haven Demo mission — a critical uncrewed test flight that will validate life support systems, power, comms, and other station functions. This demo is expected in 2025 and will serve as a technological shakedown before human occupation.

No launch date has been set for Haven Demo, but launching this year is more than aspirational, given that the company announced on September 26, “Haven Demo build and test are complete, and it is now undergoing final integration for launch.”

Vast’s roadmap includes Haven-2, a larger and more capable successor, anticipated by 2028. In June 2024, Vast signed a cooperation agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA), opening the door for European astronauts and payloads to fly on its platforms.

Starlab (Voyager/Nanoracks + Airbus)

Targeting a 2029 launch, Starlab is a collaboration between U.S.-based Voyager Space and Nanoracks, with European aerospace giant Airbus as a co-developer. The station has completed major design reviews and is moving into the full production phase. Its design supports four crew members and includes laboratory space for government and commercial users. Airbus’s involvement makes this one of the most international of the U.S.-led efforts.

Orbital Reef (Blue Origin + Sierra Space)

Orbital Reef, billed as a “business park in space,” is being developed with a mix of partners, including Blue Origin, Sierra Space, Boeing, and others. The plan includes large inflatable habitat modules (Sierra’s LIFE system) and facilities for research, tourism, and manufacturing. It’s an ambitious project, but it is still in its design stages.

No advanced design review or acceptance meetings have been announced, and no metal has been bent to create a first flight module for Orbital Reef. The project partners have a stated 2027 goal, but does not seem to be a priority for some of them at this point in time.

Europe: Infrastructure, Access, and Industry Roles

While Europe lacks a flagship commercial space station project of its own, ESA is actively engaging through industrial support and international partnerships.

• Airbus in Starlab: The European aerospace leader plays a central role in the development of Starlab, ostensibly to ensure that European technology is integrated into the next generation of orbital stations.
  
• ESA–Vast Agreement: ESA’s memorandum of understanding with Vast signals a shift toward broader collaboration with commercial operators outside of Europe, giving ESA member states potential crew and science access aboard Haven-class stations.
  
• Cargo Return Services: ESA has also contracted Thales Alenia Space (Italy) and The Exploration Company (Germany) to develop LEO cargo return vehicles by 2028–2030. These efforts support future station resupply and science return — capabilities vital for any long-term orbital presence.
  
• Exploratory Talks with Blue Origin: ESA is reportedly in talks to integrate European hardware or services into Orbital Reef, another sign of the agency’s pivot toward cooperative participation in commercial platforms rather than duplicating them.

Outlook: High Stakes, Compressed Timelines

With ISS operations expected to wind down by the end of the decade, time is tight. NASA and its commercial partners face a complex mix of engineering, regulatory, and financial hurdles. The recent postponement of NASA’s next CLD solicitation reflects industry-wide uncertainty and a need for clearer demand signals.

Meanwhile, Europe’s more cautious strategy — focused on access, partnerships, and enabling infrastructure — may prove prudent if their own efforts with Starlab stutter. At the same time, it also risks leaving Europe dependent on foreign platforms unless greater independence is pursued.

That means money, and it is in short supply these days, as the ESA budget has flattened: €7.68 billion ($7.91 billion) in 2025, down about 1.4% from the €7.79 billion the agency had allocated for 2024.

Stay Tuned…

If early stations like Haven-1 and Axiom Station succeed, the LEO economy could expand quickly in the 2030s, with multiple platforms offering access to governments, scientists, private astronauts, and commercial industries alike.

There are surely some potholes in the road to space for all of the companies. Not only do they have to create a spacecraft that will reliably keep its occupants alive, but they will also need to establish supply chains (resupply missions) and operational groups to manage it all. It’s a daunting task for anyone.

So, as always, stay tuned, there is a lot more to come, but things are about to start getting interesting.