Joint venture to serve as a commercial successor to the International Space Station, to continue cooperation between the US and Europe in space.
Voyager Space, a world leader in aerospace, and Airbus Defense and Space, the largest aerospace company in Europe, announced an agreement that paves the way for a transatlantic joint venture to develop, build and operate Starlab, a commercial space station to succeed the International Space Station. The US-led joint venture will bring together world-class aerospace leaders while further uniting US and European aerospace interests.
“We are proud to partner with Airbus to secure the future of space stations,” said Matthew Kuta , President of Voyager Space. “The International Space Station is widely regarded as the most successful platform for global collaboration in the history of space. We are determined to build on this legacy as we embark on Starlab. We are establishing this joint venture to serve as a trusted partner to meet the known demand of global space agencies while creating new opportunities for commercial users.”
Voyager was awarded a US$160 million Space Act Agreement (SAA) from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in December 2021 through Nanoracks , part of Voyager’s space exploration segment. As part of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, this SAA lays the groundwork for creating Starlab, a continuously manned, free-flying space station serving NASA and a global customer base of space agencies and researchers. The goal of the program is to preserve the human presence and US leadership in low Earth orbit (LEO). Announcement builds on a January 2023 agreement with Voyager selecting Airbus to provide technical support and expertise for Starlab’s design.
Also Read: NASA’s Trio of Mini Rovers Will Team up to Explore the Moon
“With a track record of innovation and technology firsts, Airbus is proud to partner with companies that want to change history,” said Jean-Marc Nasr , Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “This transatlantic venture with a footprint on both sides of the ocean aligns the interests of both ourselves and Voyager and our respective space agencies. This is a continuation of European and American space leadership moving humanity forward. our teams are focused on creating an unprecedented space destination, both technologically and commercially.”
In addition to the US entity, Starlab will have a European subsidiary as a joint venture that directly serves the European Space Agency and the space agencies in its member countries.
This announcement follows a major design milestone in Starlab’s development, the Systems Requirements Review (SRR), which provides an overview of key space systems, technical readiness and ability to meet NASA’s mission and safety requirements. Starlab’s SRR was completed in June 2023 in collaboration with NASA’s Commercial LEO Development Program team.
“Today marks an important step forward for the future of commercial space destinations,” Kuta continued. “We are proud of NASA’s trust to build the ISS replacement. This partnership expands Starlab’s ecosystem to include global space agencies and a team that is mission-driven and committed to reimagining the future.”
SOURCE: PRNewswire