Starlab Space, backed by Voyager Technologies and Airbus Aeronautics, has designed a 3-story space station that is roughly 1,600-square-foot, about the size of a two-bedroom house. The first floor will support life systems and personal hygiene; with 2 toilets, the 2nd floor will be used for research, and the 3rd floor will hold 2 quadrants allowing for 8 beds.

The Starlab station is expected to house four crew members for six months, and its occupancy would increase to eight people during crew handovers.

“They would launch it inside Starship the fairing would open, and the space station would be deployed and would be out there in space for several years. Crews would fly up to it and come back.” Space City Weather Editor, Eric Berger said.

NASA is working with Space Lab to create a first design to be used for future space stations. The plan is to kick off the commercial spaceflight program allowing private companies to open the program to customers who would like to explore space, with less government funding as private entities take over. “They’re selling research time to Nasa but they’re also hoping to go out and find business customers who want to do research in zero gravity.” He said.

Astronauts from NASA and other countries will begin assessing the mockup in January, helping Starlab Space complete its design before launching in 2029. NASA officials say the government-run International Space Station is set to retire in 2030.

Crew members are scheduled to arrive soon after that, though they’ll begin training in the Houston mockup about two years before liftoff.

Starlab Space has received $217.5 million from NASA through Phase One and $15 million from the Texas Space Commission. It’s also privately funded by its backed joint ventures. They plan to compete for more funding in the future as the program evolves.

Michael Berry