--- title: "Who Will Replace the ISS: NASA to Provide Hundreds of Millions for New Orbital Stations" description: "NASA announced a competition with funding from $100M for private companies to build stations replacing the ISS after 2030 to ensure continuous human presence in orbit." date: 2026-10-12T12:20:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/nasa-commercial-orbital-stations-replacing-iss tags: [nasa, iss, space-exploration, commercial-space, boeing] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Who Will Replace the ISS: NASA to Provide Hundreds of Millions for New Orbital Stations ![Concept of a new commercial orbital station replacing the ISS](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/12/nasa-kommercheskie-orbitalnye-stantsii-vmesto-mks/nasa-kommercheskie-orbitalnye-stantsii-vmesto-mks-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - NASA is seeking private contractors to build stations replacing the ISS after 2030. - First-phase winners will receive guaranteed funding starting from $100 million. - Favorites include Axiom Space, Voyager Space (Starlab), and Vast Space. - Boeing's Starliner could serve as the primary transport for initial missions. NASA has announced the launch of a large-scale official competition for private companies aimed at creating new commercial orbital stations. These facilities are intended to replace the International Space Station (ISS) after its retirement in 2030. The primary strategic goal of the U.S. agency is to ensure a permanent and continuous human presence in low-Earth orbit without any temporary gaps or interruptions in scientific research. ### Competition Terms and Funding According to the officially published competition documentation under the Commercial LEO Destinations program, the submission deadline for private aerospace businesses is December 8, while the official results of the first selection phase will be announced in April. NASA plans to select at least two promising finalists, each of whom will receive guaranteed government funding starting from 100 million U.S. dollars for the initial stages of design and development of their concepts. ### NASA's Strategic Shift to the Moon and Mars The agency's leadership has repeatedly emphasized that completely abandoning the ISS does not mean winding down the near-Earth crewed program. Transferring routine orbital infrastructure management functions to private operators will allow NASA to free up colossal financial and intellectual resources. These funds are planned to be redirected toward more ambitious and complex tasks, including long-term lunar exploration under the Artemis program and preparations for future crewed missions to Mars. ### Key Contenders and Transportation Challenges To date, the main favorites in the unfolding race are considered to be Axiom Space, Voyager Space with their joint Starlab orbital station project, and the ambitious startup Vast Space. Notably, SpaceX has not yet announced intentions to submit an independent bid, while the participation of another space giant, Blue Origin, remains questionable. ### Controversial Data Regarding logistics and crew delivery to future private stations, certain discussions and discrepancies persist concerning the choice of transportation systems. Previously, station developers had to independently seek logistics partners, but risks regarding the prompt decommissioning of the Crew Dragon spacecraft alongside the ISS de-orbiting forced NASA to adjust its requirements. Now, the agency is taking on some transportation obligations by planning to utilize Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, for which an additional 359 million dollars was allocated for upgrades, though critics point to past technical delays and issues with this vehicle. ### Prospects and Business Reaction Executives of leading private space companies, including representatives from Axiom Space, Voyager Space, and Vast Space, have already publicly welcomed the release of updated final requirements by NASA. They confirmed their full readiness to wage an uncompromising battle for the right to build the next generation of space homes for astronauts. The success of this initiative will shape the face of crewed astronautics for the coming decades. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [ΠšΡ‚ΠΎ Π·Π°ΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ‚ МКБ: NASA даст сотни ΠΌΠΈΠ»Π»ΠΈΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ² Π΄ΠΎΠ»Π»Π°Ρ€ΠΎΠ² Π½Π° Π½ΠΎΠ²Ρ‹Π΅ ΠΎΡ€Π±ΠΈΡ‚Π°Π»ΡŒΠ½Ρ‹Π΅ станции](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/hto-zaminit-mks-nasa-dast-sotni-milyoniv-1791798190.html) - Основной источник ΠΈΠ½Ρ„ΠΎΡ€ΠΌΠ°Ρ†ΠΈΠΈ ΠΏΠΎ условиям конкурса NASA, срокам Π΄ΠΎ 2030 Π³ΠΎΠ΄Π°, Ρ„Π°Π²ΠΎΡ€ΠΈΡ‚Π°ΠΌ ΠΈ Ρ„ΠΈΠ½Π°Π½ΡΠΈΡ€ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡŽ. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When is the ISS scheduled for retirement? **A:** The ISS is planned for retirement after 2030. ### Q: How much funding will the first-phase winners of the NASA competition receive? **A:** Winners of the first phase will receive guaranteed funding starting from 100 million dollars. ### Q: Which companies are considered favorites in the competition? **A:** The main favorites are Axiom Space, Voyager Space with the Starlab station, and Vast Space.