initial strides towards a space station of tomorrow
Starlab: The Next Generation Space Station
Starlab, a new space station, is being designed by Airbus Defence and Space in partnership with Voyager Space. This next-generation space station is intended to serve the scientific community and improve the future of humanity in space and on Earth.
Starlab is designed to provide the same payload capacity as the International Space Station (ISS), which has been inhabited by astronauts since its launch in 1998. The new space station aims to accelerate a sustainable ecosystem in space, conducting over 400 experiments or technical investigations per year.
NASA is transitioning towards the next generation of continuously crewed, free-flying space stations, and Starlab is a step towards this transition. The space station could be launched as early as 2028, providing a foundation for continued international cooperation in space.
Starlab's goal is to increase international participation and customer support for space exploration. Europe’s Airbus involvement in Starlab fits into broader international ambitions, where Europe is advancing independent lunar and Mars exploration technologies, complementing NASA’s Artemis program and future Mars preparatory work.
The ISS is planned to be deorbited towards the end of this decade, as it has already surpassed its original lifetime of 15 years. Starlab and similar commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) platforms aim to serve as testbeds for technologies and operations needed for deep space missions, such as those to the Moon and Mars.
By enabling ongoing research on microgravity effects, systems maintenance, and autonomous operations in orbit, Starlab will help develop critical capabilities for extended Moon and Mars missions. The space station will provide a platform for long-duration human spaceflight research linked to prolonged isolation and space environment effects. It will also test and demonstrate space habitation, life support, and logistics systems. Furthermore, Starlab will offer infrastructure for assembling, refueling, or staging interplanetary spacecraft in orbit.
Starlab and its partners, Voyager Space, Nanoracks, and Lockheed Martin, are working together to make this vision a reality. The collaboration between these companies and NASA, ESA, and other customers promises a bright future for space exploration and the advancement of humanity.
Science, technology, and space-and-astronomy are at the heart of the Starlab project. This next-generation space station, designed for conducting over 400 experiments annually, will significantly advance our understanding of space and potentially pave the way for technology that could be employed on missions to the Moon and Mars.
