Clarity would only come through the issuance of a “request for proposals” that would lay out specifically what #NASA wanted. “Commercial industry is already investing over twice as much as NASA has spent on CLDs over the past five years, but NASA thinks it understands #commercial market potential better than private investors and want to cut CLD’s budget while extending #ISS’ lifetime” https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/what-happens-next-with-nasas-plan-to-replace-the-iss-source-it-could-get-ugly/

#SpaceStation #CLD

The companies at the forefront of the #CLD competition:

• #Vast is expecting to launch 🚀 its #Haven1 #SpaceStation in Q1 📆 2027
• #Axiom Space is planning to launch a two-module station by 📆 2028
• #Starlab, which is being built by a joint venture between #Voyager Technologies and #Airbus, is aiming to launch its station in 📆 2029

https://payloadspace.com/payload-field-guide-commercial-leo-destination/

#NASA

📆 April 2026 #CLD Phase 2 awards trigger immediate hiring, facility investment, and supply chain commitments. Initial module launches 🚀 anticipated in 📆 2028-2029 for most designs. NASA requires stations to achieve operational capability before #ISS deorbit, currently planned for 2030. Companies must execute flawlessly or risk losing #NASA’s anchor tenancy to competitors who deliver operational capability 🌌 first https://www.exterrajsc.com/p/congressional-budget-victory-cements

#SpaceStation #Starlab #ESA #Airbus