NASA finalizes strategy for human presence in space
This week, NASA finalized its sustainment strategy a human presence in space. One document emphasized the importance of maintaining the ability to stay in orbit for extended periods even after the International Space Station is decommissioned.
“NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy will lead the agency to the next generation of continuous human presence in orbit, enable greater economic growth and sustain international partnerships,” the document says.
The commitment comes against the background of the question of whether the new space stations will be ready for use. There are also fears given the new Trump administration’s efforts to cut spending through the Department of Government Efficiency NASA could face cuts.
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“Just as everyone has to make difficult decisions when budgets are tight, we have made some decisions over the last year, namely to cut programs or cancel them entirely, to ensure that we are focused on our highest priorities,” the deputy said NASA Administrator Pam Melroy.
The commercial space company Voyager is working on one of the space stations that could replace it International Space Station when it leaves orbit in 2030. The company welcomed NASA’s strategy to keep people in space.
One depiction shows a Voyager spacecraft. Voyager is working on one of the space stations that could replace the International Space Station, which is expected to be decommissioned in 2030. (Voyager Space)
“We need this commitment because our investors are asking, ‘Is the United States committed?'” said Jeffrey Manber, president of international and space station operations at Voyager.
President Reagan initially launched the effort to keep humans in permanent residence in space. He also warned against it Need for private partnerships.
“America has always been greatest when we dared to be great. We can strive for greatness,” Reagan said during his State of the Union address in 1984. “The market for space transportation may exceed our capacity to develop it.”
Jeffrey Manber, president of international stations and space stations at Voyager Space, praised NASA’s commitment to exploring how to sustain the human presence in space. (Associated Press)
The first part of the ISS was launched in 1998. Since then it has hosted more than 28 people from 23 countries. The ISS has been occupied by humans continuously for 24 years.
The Trump administration released a national space policy in 2020 that called for maintaining a “continuous human presence in Earth orbit” and also emphasized the need to transition to commercial platforms. The Biden administration maintained this policy.
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“Let’s say we don’t have operational commercial stations. Technically we could keep the space station going, but the idea was to fly it until 2030 and deorbit in 2031.” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in June.
In recent months there have been questions about whether the policy would be maintained.
One illustration shows a Voyager spacecraft hovering in orbit above Earth. (Voyager Space)
“I just want to talk for a moment about the elephant in the room, the continued human presence. What does that mean? Is it continuous heartbeat or continuous ability? While we had originally hoped that this would simply emerge from this process, we are still having conversations about it and understanding it,” Melroy said at the International Astronautical Congress in October.
NASA’s final strategy took into account concerns from commercial and international partners about what it would mean to lose the ISS without a commercial station operational.
“Almost all of our industrial partners agreed. Continuous presence is continuous heartbeat. And that’s where we are,” Melroy said. “I think that continued presence is leadership. Today, the United States is a leader in human spaceflight. The only other space station in orbit when the ISS deorbits, if we do not establish a commercial target in time, will do so. We want to be the Chinese space station and the partner of choice for our industry and for our goals stay for NASA.”
Three companies, including Voyager, are working with NASA to develop commercial space stations. Axiom has signed an agreement with NASA in 2020. The agency awarded contracts to Nanoracks, now part of Voyager Space, and Blue Origin in 2021.
One illustration shows a Voyager spacecraft at some distance passing in front of the moon. (Voyager Space)
“To be completely honest, we had some challenges. The budget caps that were cut between the White House and Congress for the fiscal year (2024 and 2025) meant we didn’t have to invest as much. So what? However, we are investing in development together with our commercial partners to bring a commercial space station into operation so that we have a continuous heartbeat of an American astronaut in orbit,” Melroy said.
Voyager says it is not behind in the development process and still plans to launch the space station as a spacecraft in 2028.
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“We are not asking for more money. We carry on. We are ready to replace the International Space Station,” Manber said. “Everyone knows SpaceXbut there are hundreds of companies that have created the space economy. And if we lose the permanent presence, you also lose that supply chain.”
Since the initial space station contracts, additional funding has been made available to the three companies. For some projects, a second round of financing could be crucial. NASA could also award funding for new space station proposals. One interested party is Long Beach, California’s vast space. The company recently unveiled concepts for its Haven modules. The plan is to bring the Haven-1 onto the market as early as next year.
“We absolutely believe that competition is vital. This is a development project “It’s important that we consider as many options as possible going forward to see which one really pans out when we actually get there,” Melroy said.
