Washington: NASA Three companies were awarded hundreds of millions of dollars Thursday to develop commercial space stations that are expected to eventually replace the International Space Station, which is due to be retired at the end of the decade.
Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, aerospace company NanoRacks and defense contractor Northrop Grumman Won contracts worth $130 million, $160 million and $125.6 million, respectively, to develop their orbital outposts.
A fourth company, Axiom Space, was previously awarded a $140 million contract.
The US space agency is increasingly turning to private industry to develop hardware to reduce costs and focus on its ambitious goals, which include building habitats. Moon and is preparing for a crewed mission to Mars.
The NASA chief said, “We are partnering with American companies to develop space sites where people can go, live, and work, allowing NASA to support humanity while promoting commercial activity in space.” to continue to carve a path in space for profit.” bill nelson in a statement.
Partnering with Blue Origin Sierra Space To develop an orbital reef, which can house 10 people in the second half of the decade. It is described as “a mixed-use business park in space” that will support microgravity research and construction.
Nanorack’s space station, which is being developed with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, is called “starlab,
Nanoracks is targeting a launch for 2027 and envisions a biology laboratory, plant habitat laboratory, physical science and materials research laboratory, and an open workspace area.
Northrop Grumman, which has already developed a spacecraft called Cygnus that provides cargo delivery to the ISS, plans to build its station module by module, including in areas of science, tourism and industrial experimentation.
It has been 21 years since the first long-term residents arrived on the ISS in particular, a symbol of international cooperation between the United States and Russia.
It is currently considered safe until 2028, and Nelson, the new administrator, has said that he expects it to last until 2030, by which time NASA wants to advance and replace the commercial sector.
Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, aerospace company NanoRacks and defense contractor Northrop Grumman Won contracts worth $130 million, $160 million and $125.6 million, respectively, to develop their orbital outposts.
A fourth company, Axiom Space, was previously awarded a $140 million contract.
The US space agency is increasingly turning to private industry to develop hardware to reduce costs and focus on its ambitious goals, which include building habitats. Moon and is preparing for a crewed mission to Mars.
The NASA chief said, “We are partnering with American companies to develop space sites where people can go, live, and work, allowing NASA to support humanity while promoting commercial activity in space.” to continue to carve a path in space for profit.” bill nelson in a statement.
Partnering with Blue Origin Sierra Space To develop an orbital reef, which can house 10 people in the second half of the decade. It is described as “a mixed-use business park in space” that will support microgravity research and construction.
Nanorack’s space station, which is being developed with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, is called “starlab,
Nanoracks is targeting a launch for 2027 and envisions a biology laboratory, plant habitat laboratory, physical science and materials research laboratory, and an open workspace area.
Northrop Grumman, which has already developed a spacecraft called Cygnus that provides cargo delivery to the ISS, plans to build its station module by module, including in areas of science, tourism and industrial experimentation.
It has been 21 years since the first long-term residents arrived on the ISS in particular, a symbol of international cooperation between the United States and Russia.
It is currently considered safe until 2028, and Nelson, the new administrator, has said that he expects it to last until 2030, by which time NASA wants to advance and replace the commercial sector.
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