Category Archives: Space Settlement

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space Habitation Report – Aug.14.2026

Here is a new selection of videos, articles, and news items about space habitats (govt and commercial), living in space, and space settlement.

=== Current space inhabitants 

ISS – Crew of 7:

  • US : Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Anil Menon
  • Russia: Andrei Fedyaev, Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina
  • Europe: Sophie Adenot

China Tiangong station – Crew of 3:

  • Zhu Yangzhu
  • Zhang Zhiyuan
  • Lai Ka-ying

On July 14th a Russian Soyuz delivered Anil Menon of NASA and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina to the station.

A group photo of ISS residents on July 14th after the arrival of (front row from left) new Expedition 74 crew members Anil Menon of NASA and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina The second row includes Roscosmos cosmonauts Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev, and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov. And the back row includes Sophie Adenot of ESA and NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams, and Jessica Meir. Credits: NASA

Until the departure on July 26 of NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, there were 10 people on the ISS, making for a total of 13 in orbit, counting the 3 Tiangong residents.

** Soyuz MS-28 undocking and departure | SciNews

The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft undocked from the Rassvet module of the International Space Station (ISS) on 26 July 2026, at 07:03 UTC (03:03 EDT). Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov (Сергей Кудь-Сверчков), Sergei Mikaev (Сергей Микаев) and NASA astronaut Chris Williams are scheduled to land in Kazakhstan on 26 July 2026, at 10:25 UTC (06:25 EDT).

=== International Space Station & NASA

** NASA Astronaut Discusses Life in Space with Naval Academy Alumni Magazine – Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview July 28 with U.S. Naval Academy’s “Shipmate” alumni magazine. Hathaway, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, is in the midst of a long-duration mission aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Sophie Adenot’s mid-mission highlights  | European Space Agency, ESA

Sophie is halfway through the εpsilon mission onboard the ISS, and she has already accomplished so much. Between hundreds of hours of scientific research and thousands of photographs taken from space, she has taken the time to share many unforgettable moments with us — inspiring millions along the way on social media.

“Many thanks to all of you following along on social media, and to all the incredible teams behind εpsilon! It’s been an amazing adventure so far, and I couldn’t be more grateful for your support. Looking forward to sharing the second half of the journey with you all!”, says Sophie.

** Sophie activates ESA’s new space exercise device  | European Space Agency, ESA

Following its arrival on board the International Space Station, Sophie completed the checkout and activation of the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D), marking the start of a two-year technology demonstration led by ESA in Columbus. During this period, astronauts will evaluate the device’s design, operational performance and effectiveness in counteracting the physical deconditioning caused by life in microgravity.

** ESA News:

** Why Can’t Russia Fix The Leaks In Their Space Station Modules? | Scott Manley

We’ve been hearing stories about the ongoing leaks on the ISS for years now, but a recent story highlighted NASA’s concerns with a plan that might have been far more risky.
I wanted to go back and explain the nature of the problem, and how the repairs are more than just slapping flex seal tape over the cracks. An accepted way to fix cracks in thin sheets is to drill a clean hole to distribute the stress over a larger area, stopping the crack from propagating further.

…

0:00 Intro
2:07 AI
3:54 Finding The Leaks
6:27 Cracks
7:42 Stop Drilling
9:19 The Repairs
11:29 Going Deeper
12:58 Old Hardware
15:33 Toppings

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Building Axiom Station, a Next-Gen Commercial Space Station | Exclusive Interview | Australia in Space TV

What does it take to build the next generation space station that will replace the International Space Station?

In this exclusive interview from Axiom Space headquarters in Houston, Aaron Tullos, Vice President of Station Engineering, gives Australia in Space TV an inside look at the engineering behind the Axiom Station, a commercial space station designed to operate in low Earth orbit.

Aaron explains how Axiom Space is building on decades of lessons learned from the International Space Station, while introducing new technologies and design approaches to support future space research, manufacturing, and human exploration.

Standing in front of a full-scale wooden mock-up of the Habitation Module (Hab1), Aaron walks us through how engineers test designs, reduce costs, optimise mass and power, and prepare the station modules for assembly and launch.

..

— Axiom raises more funds: Axiom Space Closed Oversubscribed Financing at $525M+ | Axiom – June.4.2026

On June 4th, Axiom announced

the final close of its previously reported financing at more than $525 million, oversubscribed amid growing investor demand.

The upsize reflected an opportunistic extension driven by continued institutional and strategic interest in Axiom Space’s leadership of the commercial low-Earth orbit transition and the United States’ return to the Moon.

The close brought new capital onto Axiom Space’s cap table alongside the investors who anchored the round earlier this year. This positions the company to accelerate execution against its core programs: human spaceflight, spacesuits, and Axiom Station – the commercial successor to the International Space Station.

** Gravitics

— BSV Podcast 0129: Gravitics | Balerion Space Ventures on Youtube

Balerion Senior Associate Aidan Daoussis sits down with Colin Doughan, Co-Founder & CEO of Gravitics, to discuss space infrastructure.

— Orbital Carrier Pathfinder under construction:


** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

—  Inside Starlab, The Biggest Commercial Space Station! | Everyday Astronaut on Youtube – Aug.14.2026

Have you ever wondered what will replace the International Space Station once it’s de-orbited? Well, I sure have, and I’ve wondered what will replace it. So today I get to go inside Starlab by Voyager Technologies with their CEO Dylan Taylor to see what it’s all about!

— Several organizations have reserved space on Starlab:

— Starlab picks SES for station communications system: Starlab selects SES Space & Defence for always-on space station connectivity | SatellitePro M – July.27.2026

SES Space & Defence, a wholly owned subsidiary of SES, has signed an agreement with Starlab to develop a communications architecture that will provide continuous, resilient and low-latency connectivity for the commercial space station throughout its operational lifecycle.

…

The partnership will utilise SES Space & Defense’s Low Earth Orbit Relay Services (LRS), powered by the company’s next-generation O3b mPOWER medium Earth orbit (MEO) constellation. The system is designed to overcome the intermittent connectivity typically experienced by low Earth orbit (LEO) spacecraft by relaying data through MEO satellites to ground networks in near real time.

— Starlab announces new agreements with customers reserving station access for research activities and payloads:

— Partnership with Voyager allows DigitalBlast of Japan to provide gateway services for companies seeking to use Starlab station for R&D: DigitalBlast Signs Starlab Space Station Reservation Agreement | APOC Wire – July.25.2026

DigitalBlast, Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shingo Horiguchi), a company that supports the growth of the space industry and the creation of new businesses, today announced that it has signed a Reservation Agreement for the use of the commercial space station “Starlab” with Starlab Space LLC (headquartered in Houston, Texas, U.S.), the developer and operator of Starlab, and recently held a signing ceremony….

… As interest in the commercial use of low Earth orbit (LEO) grows toward the post-ISS era, DigitalBlast will serve as a user-integration partner for R&D that puts the space environment to practical use, and will work to build itself into one of the gateways through which companies and research institutions in Japan and the wider Asia region can access orbit.

** VAST

— Haven-1 fluid systems:

— Waste handling on Haven-1

— Vast on Fox News:

— This New Space Station Is Full Of Modern Touches | Core Memory

The International Space Station is 25 years old, cost $155 billion, and leaks. A startup called Vast thinks it can build the replacement for about a billion dollars, and it plans to launch the first piece in 2027. In this episode, Ashlee Vance heads to Vast’s headquarters in Long Beach, California for a full tour of Haven-1, the spacecraft the company expects to be the world’s first commercial space station. Vast is the wildcard in the race to replace the ISS, moving faster than rivals like Axiom, Blue Origin and Starlab, and it’s doing it the SpaceX way: everything designed, built and tested in house, from the hatch to the micrometeorite shielding to the actual flight hull sitting next to the cafeteria.

The money comes from Jed McCaleb, the crypto billionaire who believes humanity needs a frontier and is willing to spend a fortune to open one. The building falls to CEO Max Haot, who walks Ashlee through mission control, the hull welding operation, and the numbers that make competitors nervous. Vast builds pressure vessels in six months for under $5 million while others pay 55 million euros and wait four years. NASA showed up in 2023 expecting a science fair. They’ve been coming back every quarter since.

Then NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, who spent 225 days on the ISS, takes over for the fun part: a space food taste test featuring freeze dried tiramisu and tales of trading for duck confit in orbit, the largest window ever flown to space, a zero gravity sleep pod that hugs you, and a walkthrough of Haven-1’s surprisingly roomy interior. Four people will live aboard for two week missions, with a SpaceX Dragon serving as taxi, lifeboat and bathroom. Ashlee walked in skeptical after 15 years of covering commercial space delays. He walked out believing this thing is actually going to fly.

…

Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:31 Who’s Paying a Billion Dollars for This?
05:14 Why Vast Builds Everything Itself
07:43 Touching the Real Haven-1
10:12 Space Food Taste Test with an Astronaut
12:49 The Biggest Window to Ever Fly
14:10 How Do You Sleep in Space?
15:59 Is This Really Big Enough for Four People?
20:07 Is Vast Actually Going to Pull This Off?

— Other Vast news:

** Commercial space station news, articles, etc:

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-23 Crew Advances Space Science Experiments, Interacts with Robot Assistant | CCTV Video News Agency

The three astronauts on China’s Shenzhou-23 mission performed a haul of experiments and interacted with a robotic assistant on the Tiangong space station over the past week as they were pressing ahead with scientific research and routine maintenance in orbit.

** Articles, news, etc:

=== Lunar habitation

** NASA Moon Base development plan:

** Interlune and Vermeer collaborating on development of groundwork equipment for the Moon: Interlune builds on partnership with equipment company to lay the groundwork for moon infrastructure | GeekWire – July.30.2026

Seattle-based Interlune is expanding its partnership with Vermeer, an Iowa-based industrial equipment manufacturer, to develop construction tools for use on the moon.

The two companies forged their initial strategic partnership to further Interlune’s plans to extract helium-3 from tons of moon dirt and rocks, also known as regolith. Their full-scale prototype of a lunar excavator was unveiled a little more than a year ago.

At the time, Interlune was focused on mining helium-3 and bringing it back to Earth for applications ranging from quantum computing to medical imaging and nuclear fusion. But a major shift came in March when NASA announced a 10-year, $30 billion initiative to build the infrastructure for a moon base.

In this video, Jacob Keeley of Vermeer describes the Interlune x Vermeer space harvester:

See also: Moon Machinery Partnership for Lunar Base Work | Leonard David – July.31.2026

** Vermeer also partnering with Astrosport Space on lunar construction equipment: Astroport and Vermeer Collaborate to Pioneer “Lunar Iron” for Lunar Base Infrastructure | Businesswire/Vermeer – Apr.15.2026

Astroport Space Technologies, Inc., a leader in lunar construction, today announced at the 20th International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction and Operations in Challenging Environments (ASCE Earth & Space 2026), a collaboration with global agricultural and industrial equipment manufacturer Vermeer Corporation to help in the development of autonomous construction machinery to aid in building a permanent human presence on the Moon.

The collaboration contributes Vermeer’s surface mining expertise to Astroport’s specialized work in robotic autonomy and lunar soil (regolith). The primary focus of this collaboration is on “lunarization” of Vermeer surface mining machinery using Astroport’s Universal Tool Implement Payload Adapter (UTIPA) technology, a modular adapter system of interchangeable tools designed for robotic construction in the Moon’s extreme environment. Beginning with a surface miner application, the teams will utilize UTIPA technology to adjust heavy equipment’s traditional reliance on mass and weight, in order to operate in the Moon’s low gravity environment and survive massive temperature swings and harsh lunar surface conditions.

** Lunar settlement articles, news, etc

=== Mars habitation

**  In partnership with South Seattle College, the Mars Society will develop a third Moon-Mars analog research station:

According to the Society announcement:

The Mars Society, through its Seattle Chapter, and South Seattle College (SSC) have signed a 10-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) establishing a multi-program partnership to build a Moon and Mars analog research station on the South Seattle College campus in West Seattle and create a regional education and workforce pathway for the next generation of aerospace researchers, technicians and engineers.

The agreement, signed by SSC President Dr. Monica Brown and Mars Society Executive Director James L. Burk, covers four interconnected efforts: a Moon and Mars analog research station on the SSC campus, a joint space studies curriculum and stackable certificate pathway, a student capstone project and internship program tied to industry partners, and a regional workforce pipeline and community engagement effort.

The Society

… currently operates research stations in Utah and Canada, where crews live and work under simulated Mars mission conditions. This work includes human factors studies, equipment testing, biology and geology field research, medical testing and safety drills. A research station on SSC’s campus would extend the hands-on side of this research, which aligns naturally with the strengths of a skilled trades-focused institution. 

** Mars settlement articles, news, etc

=== Large In-Space Habitats 

** Space Habitats: The Megastructures We’ll Call Home | Isaac Arthur

Explore the future of space habitats, from rotating cylinders and torus colonies to orbital cities, asteroid homes, and the megastructures humanity may one day live inside.

…

0:00 Intro
4:37 The Sunflower
14:07 The O’Neill Cylinder
49:00 Lewis One
57:40 Stanford Torus
1:22:19 Kalpana One
1:28:14 Nebula
1:29:27 Bernal Sphere
1:54:13 Bishop Ring
2:03:23 Topopolis
2:27:36 McKendree Cylinder
2:33:57 Hammer Habs
2:59:01 Rungworlds
3:04:35 Conglomerations
3:38:45 Epilogue

** Jerry Stone – Island Zero, A Study of A First Space Settlement – NSS Space Ambassadors Presentation | National Space Society

Jerry Stone from the British Interplanetary Society joins the NSS Space Ambassadors and gives his first presentation on the topic of “Island Zero,” a large space station providing artificial gravity. In mid-1969, Professor Gerard K. O’Neill put a question to a study group at Princeton University: “Is a planetary surface the right place for an expanding technological civilization?”

The unexpected result from their studies was that the answer was “No.” A much better place, it seemed, would be in vast habitats constructed in high orbit, at a special location known as the Lagrange points L4 and L5.

It is now almost 40 years since the original studies were conducted, and many advancement shave been made since the 1970s. There have been improvements in materials science, engineering, computing and robotics, and other areas that can make this program more efficient.

The aims of Island Zero will include:

Living under simulated gravity
Construction from modular units and space -produced components
Growing a large percentage of food in space
Development of a space manufacturing facility

Island Zero units could be used to house the construction force for Island One, the first large space settlement. Overall, Island Zero presents a relatively low-cost means of providing a logical progressive approach towards the construction of large settlements in space.

** National Space Society initiates design of a large in-space habitat : National Space Society announces Rotating Space Settlement Design Project | Space Settlement Progress – July.29.2026

In a presentation at this year’s International Space Development Conference, which took place in McLean, Virginia, June 4th through June 7th, National Space Society (NSS) COO/SVP Dale Skran announced the kickoff of an open-source Rotating Space Settlement Design (RSSD) Project. The initiative has been under active development for over a year within the NSS Space Settlement Advocacy Committee (SSAC) and the NSS Board of Scientific and Technical Advisors (BSTA). Full disclosure: Yours truly is a member of the SSAC. It was officially approved as an NSS Project last March. The content of this post is based on Skran’s presentation, supplemented with subsequent material presented to the SSAC, with permission.

The current RSSD project Study Group core team consists of Dale Skran, Frederick (Rick) Jenet, PhD, and Bryce Meyer, with all BSTA and SSAC members actively involved in review and discussion. Work is currently focused on establishing a foundational set of design inputs in the form of “Questions” (see below). A dedicated workshop to refine these questions will be held at the NSS Space Settlement Summit taking place at the University of Central Florida, October 25th and 26th. This will be followed by a public announcement and formal request for comment from the broader community. In addition, the “RSSD Terms of Reference” (TOR) will be published in the NSS Space Settlement Journal.

…

What is the Objective of the RSSD Project?

The core goal is to produce the first complete buildable engineering design for a rotating space settlement. The project is primarily an engineering and systems-design effort, not a policy activity, although legal and economic aspects are necessarily included because they affect feasibility.

See also: Orbital Space Settlement Design Project – NSS.

=== Technologies and strategies for space settlement

** Additive Manufacturing in Microgravity | Isaac Arthur

The most expensive part of space travel isn’t the fuel. It’s the cargo. Additive manufacturing isn’t a sci-fi magic trick; it’s the key to building shipyards and telescopes at scales rockets were never meant to handle. We aren’t just launching ships anymore; we’re moving the factory to the void.

…

Chapters
0:00 Intro
2:10 Additive Manufacturing Is Not a Printer
8:04 The Physics of Printing in Freefall
12:23 Low Gravity, Regolith, and the “Messy Middle”
17:01 CT Scan
17:59 Printing at Scales Rockets Can’t Touch

=== Other space habitat and settlement news, articles, reports, etc.

=== Earth views from ISS

** Observing Blue Jets from ISS:

** Night side as seen by ISS: 

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) | NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

(Optional High Definition feed.)

====

ISS after undocking of STS-132

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====

International Space Station: An insight into the history, development,
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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space Habitation Report – May.19.2026

Here is a new selection of videos, articles, and news items about space habitats (govt and commercial), living in space, and space settlement.

=== International Space Station & NASA

A rendering of the spacecraft docked to the International Space Station Configuration as of May.17.2026. The six spaceships parked at the station include the SpaceX CRS-34 Dragon, the SpaceX Crew-12 Dragon, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL, the Soyuz MS-28 crew ship, and the Progress 94 and 95 resupply ships. Credits: NASA

** SpaceX Dragon Docks to Station Filled with New Science Experiments | NASA – May.17.2026

At 6:37 a.m. EDT, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the forward port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module, carrying nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment for the Expedition 74 crew. This is the 34th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the space station for NASA.

In addition to cargo for the crew aboard the space station, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including a project to determine how well Earth-based simulators mimic microgravity conditions, a bone scaffold made from wood that could produce new treatments for fragile bone conditions like osteoporosis, and equipment to help researchers evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space. The Dragon spacecraft also will carry a new instrument to study charged particles around the Earth that can impact power grids and satellites, an investigation that could provide a fundamental understanding of how planets form, and a instrument designed to take highly accurate measurements of sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon.

The mission launched at 6:05 p.m. May 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

** NASA’s SpaceX 34th Commercial Resupply Services Rendezvous and Docking | NASA

** NASA Astronauts Discuss Life In Space With U.S. Naval War College – Friday, April 24, 2026 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 74 flight engineers Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams of NASA, discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview April 24 with the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Hathaway is a graduate of the college. The two astronauts are in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** The International Space Station: 25 Years of Innovation and Inspiration | AIAA 

In November, the International Space Station (ISS) reached a historic milestone—25 years of continuous human presence in orbit. Over that time, more than 290 astronauts have lived and worked aboard the space station, driving research and development that benefits life on Earth and expands NASA’s reach into space. This session will highlight some of the most innovative advancements enabled by the ISS and explore what’s next for low Earth orbit as we look toward the future of space exploration.

MODERATOR: Patrick O’Neill, INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ​NATIONAL LABORATORY
Michael Roberts, Chief Science Officer, ISS National Lab
Robyn Gatens, Director, International Space Station and Commercial Spaceflight Divisions, NASA (Invited)”

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— What Comes Next | Axiom on Youtube

“What Comes Next” showcases Axiom Space’s vision to transcend Earth by building era-defining space infrastructure that drives exploration and fuels a vibrant space economy for the benefit of every human everywhere. Tune in to watch our short film to learn more about how we are building what comes next for low-Earth orbit. #AxiomStation
— — —

Axiom Space is building the world’s first commercial space station – Axiom Station. Serving as a cornerstone for sustained human presence in space, this next-generation orbital platform fosters groundbreaking innovation and research in microgravity, and cultivates the vibrant, global space economy of tomorrow. Today, driven by the vision of leading humanity’s journey off planet, Axiom Space is the principal provider of commercial human spaceflight services to the International Space Station and developer of advanced spacesuits for the Moon and low-Earth orbit. Axiom Space is building era-defining space infrastructure that will empower our civilization to transcend Earth for the benefit of every human, everywhere.

— Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain Explains What Sets It Apart from Competitors | New York Stock Exchange

Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain joins Ashley Mastronardi on NYSE Live to discuss his company and its. competition

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

— Commercial demand for Starlab exceeds available capacity: Voyager ‘very optimistic’ about Starlab amid potential NASA changes | SpaceNews – May.5.2026

“We were already at 130% of commercial demand capacity spoken for on Starlab, and that commercial demand could translate to a different solution if NASA goes a different path,” he said.

Phil de Sousa, chief financial officer, said that Starlab should start recording commercial revenue as soon as 2027 through activities such as training for future missions to the station as well as converting payload reservations into contracts. Work on Starlab has been supported so far by the companies along with a NASA Space Act Agreement, which provided $24 million to Voyager in the first quarter as it completed four milestones.

Voyager may launch Starlab even without NASA as anchor customer:

Taylor left the door open for Starlab to develop its station without NASA support when asked by an analyst if there was a “third option” beyond the current CLD plans and the alternative proposed by NASA.

“I think we’re very well positioned for CLD Phase 2, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we could independently finance this,” he said.

— Voyager partners with Rhodium Scientific to support scientific research on Starlab:

— Starlab partner Max Space will provide expandable structures for in-space and on lunar surface habitation: Max Space unveils new expandable space habitat for the moon and beyond: ‘We need real estate that is scalable’ | Space.com – Apr.16.2026

Max Space has unveiled a large sub-scale version of their expandable habitat, giving viewers a real look at how best to offer far greater habitable volume for future space endeavors. “This is more than a model,” said Saleem Miyan, co-founder and CEO of Max Space, based in Florida. “It is a physical demonstration of a new approach to space infrastructure, far greater habitable volume, lower launch mass and logistics burden, scalable architecture for commercial low Earth orbit stations, lunar surface systems, and future deep space missions.”

If we are serious about permanent human presence on the moon and in space, Miyan told Space.com, “we need real estate that is scalable and built for how humans will actually live and operate off Earth.”

— Another customer for Starlab microgravity service: Plastron Group and Starlab Space Enter Agreement to Advance Life Sciences Research | Starlab – Apr.21.2026

Starlab Space LLC, a commercial space station developer, today announced an agreement with Plastron Group, a contract research organization focused on enabling end-to-end life sciences research and manufacturing in microgravity in the UK and Europe at large. Through the agreement, the two organizations will collaborate on expanding access to microgravity-enabled biotechnology and pharmaceutical research as the commercial space industry transitions beyond the International Space Station.

Under the agreement, Plastron will deliver a comprehensive microgravity service model for biotech and pharmaceutical customers, supporting research and manufacturing workflows from ground to orbit and back. The company’s approach integrates experiment design, payload handling and post-flight analysis into a seamless process, ensuring continuity and quality across every stage of the mission.

** VAST

— The Vast step-by-step development of sustainable habitats in space:

— The Vast approach to the design of ground and orbital facilities: Step inside the gorgeous, futuristic offices of Vast, the startup designing the next-gen space station – Fast Company

Vast’s new 49,000-square-foot headquarters, a collaboration between its in-house team and the New York-based multidisciplinary design studio Civilian, does all those things, in a sophisticated expression of how architecture can support high-performance work and reinforce brand.

— Vast partnering with Lithuania for research activities in orbital stations: Vast Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Innovation Agency Lithuania to Support Space Industry Engagement and Scientific Research | VAST – May.6.2026

Established in 2022, Innovation Agency Lithuania is a non-profit agency under the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Innovation and leads the country’s innovation ecosystem, supporting business development across all stages, including space research.

Under the agreement, Vast and Innovation Agency Lithuania will explore opportunities for joint scientific research activities either in the International Space Station National Lab or Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, launching in 2027. The partnership also includes plans to further develop educational programs in Lithuania and deepen engagement with local industry.

— VAST aims for launch of first station in 1st quarter of 2027:  Vast’s Haven-1 Advances Toward First Commercial Space Station Launch | Orbitalhub.com – Apr.19.2026

Vast, the California-based startup developing what it calls the world’s first commercial space station, announced significant progress in March and April 2026 as Haven-1 moves toward its target launch in the first quarter of 2027. The company secured $500 million in Series C funding in March 2026, led by the Qatar Investment Authority with participation from Mitsui, MUFG, and Balerion Space Ventures.

The funding will accelerate production of the Haven-1 station and support development of the follow-on Haven-2 design. Vast has also expanded manufacturing facilities in Long Beach, California, where the station modules are being assembled. The company’s workforce has grown to over 400 employees, up from approximately 200 in early 2025.

Haven-1 entered the full integration phase in January 2026, with the spacecraft’s major subsystems being assembled and tested together for the first time. Life support systems, critical for sustaining crew members, have undergone extended testing including模拟 long-duration missions. The station’s interior has been outfitted with cargo storage systems, crew accommodations, and research equipment.

— Vast is building the first commercial space stations | NBC News

Vast hopes to be the first U.S. company to put a commercial space station into orbit, eventually replacing the ISS with it’s own, smaller stations. NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz gets a tour of their factory in Long Beach, California, where the bulk of their stations are manufactured.

— The Large Docking Adapter for the future of commercial space | VAST Youtube

Introducing the Large Docking Adapter. The future of space exploration is larger crewed vehicles and space stations. In current development at Vast HQ, the adapter is designed to standardize large spacecraft compatibility.

To learn more, visit: [Vast Unveils a Large Docking Adapter Standard | Vast – Apr.15.2026]

— Vast introduces flight suit for the Haven-1 space station:

Video from Vast:

Introducing the Vast Astronaut Flight Suit. Shaping the future of humanity’s life in space through human-centric design is a core ethos at Vast. Developed with spaceflight experts, the suit prioritizes mobility, comfort, and on-orbit functionality.

Flight suits have played a key role, both practically and symbolically, in aviation and spaceflight history. The design of the flight suit honors that legacy while signaling the future of commercial space.

— Haven Demo deorbits | VAST Youtube

On Feb 4, 2026, Vast mission control executed a terminal deorbit burn guiding Haven Demo, our in-orbit testbed for space station technologies, to splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean. This demonstrates safe, controlled deorbit capability for future space station modules.

** Commercial habitat news, articles, reports, etc:

=== Chinese space habitats

** Tianzhou-10 Successfully Docks with Tiangong Space Station | CCTV Video News Agency

China’s Tianzhou-10 cargo craft completed its status setup and successfully docked with the orbiting Tiangong space station on May 11, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

** Shenzhou-21 Crew Receives New Supplies, Continues Space Experiments After Extended Mission in Orbit | CCTV Video News Agency

Nearly 200 days into their mission aboard China’s space station Tiangong, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts, Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, remain in good physical and mental condition.

** China habitat news, articles, reports, etc:

=== Lunar habitation

** Blue Origin plans to extract oxygen and other resources from the lunar regolith:

** The Unknown Quantity – Dr. Doug Plata— March 26, 2026 | Space Frontier Foundation

The Unknown Quantity explores how capital, and technology shape the future of the space economy and deep tech markets.

Hosted by Thomas Andrew Olson of the Center for Space Commerce and Finance and produced by Better Futures Inc., the show breaks down regulatory risk, investment dynamics, and strategic decision making across the commercial space industry.

Each episode is designed for founders, investors, policymakers, and industry professionals seeking clear, structured insight into how space and emerging technology companies form, attract capital, manage risk, and scale.

Dr. Doug Plata, President and founder of the Space Development Network, is interviewed. The Network is a volunteer space advocacy group that focuses on “the establishment of humanity’s first, small but permanent off-Earth settlement as soon as possible“.

** Komatsu lunar machine project #3 | Komatsu

Here is a sneak peak of Komatsu on the moon. At the dawn of space exploration, Komatsu is taking on a challenge to develop a machine whose line of job is construction on the moon!

The study of lunar construction equipment utilizes the results of research and development commissioned by the Project for Promoting the Development of Innovative Technologies for Outer Space Autonomous Construction (A Japanese government project lead-managed by MLIT with the collaboration of MEXT)

Learn more:
https://www.komatsu.jp/en/aboutus/bra…

See also Building on the Moon: Komatsu and the Rise of Lunar Construction | OrbitalHub – Apr.5.2026.

More lunar habitation articles, news, etc:

=== In-space habitation

** The Space Habitat Diaspora – Humanity Spreads Without Planets | Isaac Arthur

Humanity may not colonize planets—we may build our own worlds. Explore how rotating space habitats could spread across the Solar System and beyond, forming a vast diaspora of artificial worlds that reshape civilization and interstellar expansion.

…

0:00 Intro – Rethinking What a World Can Be
2:37 Why Habitats Win on Physics, Engineering… and Scalability
10:13 The Birth of a Habitat Civilization
14:54 Nebula
15:54 Life Without Planets: Cultures That Grow in Steel Valleys
18:59 Resilience: Fragile Shells, Immortal Civilizations
21:37 The True Diaspora: Leaving the Solar System

** SRIC4 #17: “Building and living in space” with Isaac Arthur | Space Renaissance

This is the 17th preliminary webinar of the IV SRI World Congress. We, at Space Renaissance, are very interested to understanding more on a few concepts illustrated by Isaac Arthur in his online lectures program:

Orbital Foundries & Zero G Manufacturing, Building in Space ( • Orbital Foundries & Zero G Manufacturing -… ),
Space Habitat Clusters & Conglomerations ( • Space Habitat Clusters & Conglomerations ).

All of these topics are of great actuality, in the incoming scenario of the cislunar space economy and the kick-off of civilian space development, a key focus for our IV SRI World Congress. Some of our experts, plus Adriano V. Autino, will pose questions to Isaac, in a broad conversation-interview style. Participants to the panel include:

Alberto Cavallo, co-chair of the Space Tech & Industry Commitee (expert in Energy and scholar of space transportation and propulsion)
Werner Grandl, chair of the Space Tech & Industry Commitee (expert of architecture and civil enginneering)
Jerry Stone, chair of the Space Habitats Committee (father of the Island Zero project)
Adriano V. Autino, SRI, CEO & Founder

An essential bio
Isaac Arthur — President, National Space Society — is the creator of the wildly successful “Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur,” an award-winning weekly science education and entertainment show with over 700,000 subscribers and over 400 episodes on YouTube. The show covers a wide range of futuristic concepts including space technology, development, and exploration, and …

** Space Tech & Industry Committee +Space Habitats meeting #12 02 04 2026 | Space Renaissance

Participants: Werner Grandl [WG], Alberto Cavallo [AC], Walter Hammond [WH], Dennis O’Brien [DOB], Adriano V. Autino [AVA]

=== Space settlement – General topics

** SRIC4 #19: “Space capitalism” with Prof. Giancarlo Genta | Space Renaissance

Space capitalism – Private companies and states in the new race beyond Earth
Giancarlo Genta – Professor Emeritus, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

ABSTRACT In the last years, the number of private actors engaged in space missions has grown, and their importance has increased. This trend is usually referred to as New Space. While this trend has started with economic activities in LEO and in supplying transportation services to Space Agencies, now these activities are expanding to deep space (or BLEO: Beyond Low Earth Orbit) and to space exploration with missions designed and implemented by private industries, and space agencies buying tickets to send their astronauts on exploration missions. The overall advantages of this approach to exploration will be the decrease of costs and times of exploration missions, which will lead to start a spacefaring civilization without waiting long times. In particular, the recent statements by Elon Musk, of SpaceX, about performing a sample return mission to Mars in the 2028 launch opportunity as a test to proceed with a human mission in 2030 are very interesting. Even if there will be a delay, the timeframe for Mars human exploration will be greatly reduced.

SHORT BIO Giancarlo Genta obtained degrees in Aeronautical Engineering in 1971 and Aerospace Engineering in 1972. Taught courses in Astronautical Propulsion, Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Design of Aircraft Engines and Space robotics at Politecnico di Torino. Full Professor in Machine Design, head of the Department of Mechanics from 1989 to 1995, now is Professor Emeritus, member of the Academy of Sciences of Torino and of the International Academy of Astronautics, where since 2012 heads the Study Group on Human Mars Exploration. Member of the Advisory Board of the Starshot Project. Author of more than 400 scientific papers, 5 patents and 40 textbooks, research monographies and popular science books. Author of 6 science fiction novels, published in Italian and English.

=== A sampling of space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** Earth views at night during the Lyrids meteor shower – εpsilon mission | European Space Agency, ESA

Auroras, thunderstorms, and brightly lit cities streak across this nighttime timelapse captured by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot during the 2026 Lyrids meteor shower.

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) | NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

ISS after undocking of STS-132

=== Amazon Associate Ads ===

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====

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In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitation report – Mar.25.2026

Here is a new selection of videos, articles, and news items about space habitats (govt and commercial), living in space, and space settlement.

=== International Space Station & NASA

** U.S. Spacewalk 94 | NASA

Watch as NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Jessica Meir go on a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station.

Williams and Meir will make preparations to install additional International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSAs), which will provide additional power for the orbital laboratory. The spacewalk is scheduled to start at about 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) and run for about six-and-a-half hours.

This spacewalk will be the first for Williams and fourth for Meir.

Learn more about the spacewalk: https://go.nasa.gov/4sI2HXG

** U.S. Spacewalk 94 Animation – March 17, 2026 |  NASA Johnson

An animation of U.S. spacewalk 94 scheduled for Wednesday, March 16 when NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams will prepare the 2A power channel for future installation of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSA) which will provide additional power ahead of safe and controlled space station deorbit. The duo will also swab the outside of the orbiting lab for microorganisms. This animation was narrated by flight director Diana Trujillo.

** U.S. Spacewalk 95 Animation – March 17, 2026 |  NASA Johnson

An animation of U.S. spacewalk 95 scheduled in the coming weeks when two NASA astronauts will prepare the 3B power channel for future installation of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSA) which will provide additional power ahead of safe and controlled space station deorbit. This animation was narrated by flight director Ronak Dave.

Join NASA as we go forward to the Moon and on to Mars — discover the latest on Earth, the Solar System and beyond with a weekly update in your inbox.

** Watch the 1st ‘Cygnus XL’ cargo spacecraft depart the ISS after undocking | VideoFromSpace

The first Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on March 12, 2026. [Full Story] (https://www.space.com/space-explorati…)

The spacecraft was launched in Sept. 2025 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and delivered “scientific research, crew supplies, and hardware” to the orbital outpost, according to NASA.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Building a hatch for the Axiom station:

— A view of the Axiom station interior:

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

— Commercial microgravity companies book up the  Starlab space station:

— Users include biotech companies:

— And semiconductor manufacturers:

— The Starlab station has plenty of room for commercial and government customers:

** VAST

— Vast raises big money: Vast Secures $500M in Funding to Accelerate Production of Haven Space Stations | VAST – Mar.5.2026

— Vast deorbits Haven Demo, a testbed for the company’s space station technologies and designs:

— An overview of the Vast space station project: The Stations to Come: Vast, a space technology firm, is building for a post-ISS orbital future | Arena Magazine – Mar.5.2026

— Interview with Vast CEO Max Haot:

— VAST aims for a comfortable stay in space:

— A regulatory step forward towards launch in 2027 of the pilot test station called Haven-1:

** News, articles, etc. about commercial habitats:

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-21 astronauts complete second spacewalk | SciNews

According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the second extravehicular activity (EVA) of the Shenzhou-21 (神舟二十一) mission was completed on 16 March 2026, at 11:35 UTC (19:35 China Standard Time). During the ~7 hours spacewalk, astronauts Zhang Lu (张陆, commander) and Wu Fei (武飞) “completed the installation of a space debris protection device for the space station along with other tasks”. Astronaut Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) assisted them from inside the Tianhe Core Module (天和核心舱) by operating the robotic arm of the China Space Station (中国空间站). Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Central Television (CCTV)

** Shenzhou-21 Crew Advances Space Experiments, Health Monitoring Aboard China’s Space Station | CCTV Video News Agency

Shenzhou-21 Crew Advances Space Experiments, Health Monitoring Aboard China’s Space Station

China space habitat articles, news, etc.

=== Lunar habitation

** Decoding NASA’s New Moon Strategy – Deep Space Updates – March 13th 2026 | Scott Manley

** Jim Muncy on Artemis, a commercial lunar base and more. | The Space Show, Broadcast 4514, Sunday, March 10, 2026

Quick Summary: Our discussion focused on NASA’s Artemis program changes and lunar development strategy, with Jim Muncy discussing NASA Administrator Jared’s recent modifications to Artemis missions, including standardizing on the Centaur 5 upper stage and adding an Earth orbit rendezvous mission before lunar landing attempts. The discussion explored how these changes improve odds for a 2028 moon landing, with both HLS providers (SpaceX and Blue Origin) being encouraged to demonstrate their lander systems in Earth orbit by mid-2027. The conversation concluded with a debate about commercial lunar development, where Jim advocated for establishing a commercial lunar base from day one rather than creating a government-built facility, arguing that commercial solutions would drive more economic activity and scientific research on the moon than a government-only approach.

The Space Show Presents Jim Muncy on Artemis, a commercial lunar base and more. by Dr. David M. Livingston

Broadcast 4514, Sunday, March 10, 2026

Read on Substack

** A permanent Moon Base is now a top priority for NASA. Here are  articles about the development of such a facility:

** NASA’s $30 Billion Moon Base Plan: Full Timeline Explained | Breaking Space/NASASpaceflight

NASA has officially paused the Lunar Gateway in its current form and pivoted its hardware, funding, and leadership to the first sustained crewed Moon Base at the lunar south pole. In this detailed breakdown of NASA’s Ignition event, we unpack the three-phase plan: Phase 1 delivers 21 CLPS landings by 2028 with 4-tonne payloads, Lunar Terrain Vehicles, hoppers, radioisotope heaters, and lunar comms satellites for $10 billion; Phase 2 (2029–2032) establishes the initial outpost with JAXA’s pressurized rover, solar arrays, RTGs, and 60 tonnes of cargo; and Phase 3 (2033–2036) scales to 8-tonne landers, 150 tonnes of payload, ISRU oxygen production, regolith construction, and semi-annual crew missions. We also examine what happens to the nearly complete Gateway modules (PPE, HALO, I-Hab), the shift to commercial launch providers beyond Artemis V, and the $30+ billion investment driving real hardware already in production. If you want the clearest picture yet of how NASA is moving from orbit to the lunar surface, this is it.

** Ignition: NASA’s Plan for The Moon | NASA

Join us as we provide an update on the implementation of the National Space Policy and how we’re accelerating preparations for America’s return to the surface of the Moon by 2028.

The program will open with remarks from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, followed by a series of high-level panels. Participants include:

Administrator Jared Isaacman
Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya
Dana Weigel, program manager, International Space Station Program
Carlos Garcia-Galan, program executive, Moon Base
Steve Sinacore, program executive, Fission Surface Power
Dr. Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate
Dr. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate

More info: https://go.nasa.gov/40QGOtA

=== Space habitat technologies

** Stopping Power! Why Radiation Shielding Is More Than Just Lead Bricks. | Scott Manley

Radiation Shielding is a standard trope in storytelling, and you may well have heard about different radiation types and how materials work differently. However it’s more complicated that you think, sometimes a shield that’s good for one source is bad for others, and this comes down to the physics of radiation interacting with matter.

So here’s an overview of how radiation shielding works and what’s going on at the subatomic level.

=== Space settlement technologies

** How Asteroid Mining Will Power The Trillion-Dollar Space Economy | Trans Astronautica Corporation

Asteroid mining will play a critical role in building the trillion dollar space economy.

In this video, we share more about how our patented technology will allow us to detect, capture, move, and mine asteroids.

Read more about our work at www.transastra.com

See also Asteroid Mining: The Next Resource Frontier: Humanity’s Transition from Planetary Limits to Cosmic Resource | BSV Insights – Mar.23.2026

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) | NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

ISS after undocking of STS-132

=== Amazon Associate Ads ===

LEGO Ideas International Space Station 21321 Building Kit,
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====

International Space Station: An insight into the history, development,
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permanently manned earth-orbiting complex (Owners’ Workshop Manual)

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitation report – Mar.2.2026

Here is a new selection of videos, articles, and news items about space habitats (govt and commercial), living in space, and space settlement.

=== International Space Station & NASA

** NASA’s SpaceX 33rd Commercial Resupply Services Undocking | NASA

Watch a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft undock and depart from the International Space Station. The spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously undock at 12:05 p.m. EST (1705 UTC) on Thursday, Feb. 26, and splash down off the coast of California at 2:44 a.m. EST (0744 UTC) on Friday, Feb. 27.

This Dragon spacecraft arrived at the space station as part of our SpaceX 33rd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-33) mission. It arrived carrying science and supplies for the crew aboard the orbiting lab, and will return to Earth with scientific data from experiments in low Earth orbit, including tests determining how materials age in space and how microgravity affects brain and heart stem cell growth.

Learn more about this mission and the science it’s bringing down to Earth: [link to advisory]
Follow the ISS blog for the latest updates on the CRS-33 mission: https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/

See also: Human Research, Advanced Tech Keep Crew Busy Before Dragon Departs | NASA – Feb.25.2026

** NASA Astronaut Discusses Life In Space With WTOP Radio – Friday, February 20, 2026 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 74 flight engineer Chris Williams of NASA, discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview February 20 with WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. Williams is in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

** Celebrate Engineers Week 2026 with the International Space Station | DiscoverE

Astronaut Chris Williams shares an Engineers Week message from the Cupola of the International Space Station!

This year’s Engineers Week theme – Transform Your Future – is about celebrating today’s achievements and inspiring the next generation of problem-solvers.

Join the #Eweek2026 celebration and learn more at https://discovere.org/programs/engine…

** Crew-12 arrives at the International Space Station | εpsilon mission | European Space Agency, ESA

Watch the docking operations of Crew-12 to the International Space Station (ISS), which took place on 14 February 2026 at 21:15 CET. The docking is followed by the hatch opening and the welcome remarks by the astronauts already present in the ISS.

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot flies as mission specialist. The other Crew-12 members are NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, respectively commander and pilot of the mission, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, mission specialist.

The French ESA astronaut is the first of her class, the Hoppers, to fly. Sophie has chosen the name εpsilon for her mission, which may last up to nine months. On board the Station, she will conduct a wide range of tasks, including European-led scientific experiments and medical research, support Earth observation activities, and contribute to operations and maintenance on the Station.

** ISS does ‘orbital cartwheel’ in amazing time-lapse from space | VideoFromSpace

The International Space Station changes its orientation “before and after each Spacex CRS-33 reboost,” according to NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. This time-lapse shows the orbital cartwheel it performs.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

** Axiom raises additional funding: Axiom Space Secures $350M in Financing to Accelerate Space Station, Spacesuit Development | Axiom Space – Feb.12.2026

Axiom Space, the leader in commercial human space exploration, announced today $350-million in financing to advance its mission to deliver the successor to the International Space Station (ISS) and ready its next-generation spacesuits for the United States’ return to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

The financing reflects continued strong institutional and strategic investor conviction in Axiom Space’s leadership position.

** Vast and Axiom awarded new private missions to ISS, continue work on commercial space stations – NASASpaceFlight.com

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

** Starlab station mockup:

** Voyager to use Max Space expandable habitat technologies: Voyager and Max Space to Accelerate Deep-Space Human Exploration Voyager/BusinessWire – Feb.5.2026

Voyager Technologies (NYSE: VOYG) and Max Space announced a strategic partnership to advance expandable space exploration technology, serving as the cornerstone of future lunar and deep-space exploration efforts for habitation and storage. …

… The collaboration brings together Voyager’s experience delivering mission-critical space systems and infrastructure with Max Space’s high-volume, low-mass expandable structure technology, creating a scalable approach to human operations on the lunar surface and critical to humanity’s expansion to Mars and beyond. The effort supports a growing national and commercial emphasis toward a sustained human presence and operational continuity beyond low-Earth orbit.

“Expandable structures represent a step change in how surface infrastructure can be delivered and deployed,” said Saleem Miyan, co-founder and CEO, Max Space. “Our structure is an evolutionary leap over previous generations, and it’s the only expandable technology with 40 years of on-orbit experience designed into it. Its architecture embodies increased capability, scalability and versatility that are essential for sustained deep-space human activity and to unleash the Lunar and Martian economies.”

See also Expandable Structures in Space: New Strategic Partnership | Leonard David – Feb.5.2026

— Starlab plans for microgravity life science research and manufacturing applications on the station:

** VAST

— FCC space chief tours Vast HQ:

— VAST private astronaut mission to ISS approved by NASA:

—  More about the mission:

Vast, the company developing next-generation space stations, has signed an order with NASA for the sixth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than summer 2027 from Florida. It is Vast’s first private astronaut mission to the space station in partnership with NASA.

…

The Vast private astronaut mission crew is expected to spend up to 14 days aboard the space station. A specific launch date will depend on overall spacecraft traffic at the orbital outpost and other planning considerations. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the crew on a Dragon spacecraft to the space station as previously announced.

The mission will generate invaluable insights into the infrastructure and processes required for Vast to safely accomplish human spaceflight missions. The mission supports deeper collaboration with NASA and international space agencies in addition to strengthening Vast’s position as a candidate to deliver its proposed successor to the space station, the multi-module, continuously crewed Haven-2.

=== Chinese space habitats

** Chinese astronauts create music video in space to celebrate Lunar New Year 2026 | VideoFromSpace

The Shenzhou-21 crew created a music video aboard the Tiangong space station that highlights China’s accomplishments in space. Full Story: https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/…

** Chinese astronauts left ‘stranded’ on space station reveal damaged spacecraft details | VideoFromSpace

Crew members of China’s Shenzhou-20 mission recently detailed their reactions upon finding cracks in their spacecraft’s viewport during the nation’s first spaceflight emergency.

=== Lunar habitation

** Lunar habitation articles, reports, etc:

=== Mars habitation 

** Dr. Scott Solomon talks humans in space, on the Moon, Mars, living in space and our space biology needs… | The Space Show – Feb.8.2026

Dr. Scott Solomon talks humans in space, on the Moon, Mars, living in space and our space biology needs so don’t miss this! by Dr. David M. Livingston

Broadcast 4501, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026

Read on Substack

See also: Broadcast 4501 Zoom Dr. Scott Solomon | The Space Show

=== Habitation technologies

** How will Artemis crews be shielded from solar storms aboard Orion spacecraft? | VideoFromSpace

NASA explains the procedure astronauts will undertake to shield themselves in case of a solar storm hitting the spacecraft during flight.

** Broadcast 4504 Zoom: Frank Pietronigro | The Space Show – Feb.13.2026

[Frank Pietronigro] discussed his artistic and scientific research focused on creating living biological spacecraft and habitats, emphasizing the integration of art and science to enhance human space exploration. He highlighted collaborations with NASA and the development of systems to reduce stress and boredom in space environments, while also exploring the concept of biopixels and living cells as programmable elements for future space habitats. Frank referenced historical and contemporary influences, while David mentioned a previous guest who was a former hand surgeon now an architect talking about “living architecture for space.”

Frank discussed the evolution of space art and the concept of biopixels, emphasizing the shift from geometric to organic structures and the need for an ethics of universal hospitality in space exploration. He shared his vision for a dynamic living space habitat and mentioned a proposal submitted to MIT. The Wisdom Team also discussed recent art projects on the moon, including Jeff Koons’ digital sculpture and a digital museum, highlighting the intersection of art, technology, and science. Frank reflected on his own experiences with space art, including a drift painting experiment in 1986 and his work with the California Space Grant Program.

There is also a Youtube video (not embeddable) of the Zoom event.

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) | NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

====

====

ISS after undocking of STS-132

=== Amazon Associate Ads ===

LEGO Ideas International Space Station 21321 Building Kit,
Adult Set for Display, Makes a Great Birthday Present (864 Pieces)

====

International Space Station: An insight into the history, development,
collaboration, production and role of the
permanently manned earth-orbiting complex (Owners’ Workshop Manual)

In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Settlement

Space habitation report – Jan.30.2026

Here is a selection of videos, articles, and news items about space habitats (government and commercial), living in space, and space settlement.

=== International Space Station & NASA

** Crew 11 ended its ISS mission earlier than planned due to a medical issue with an (unnamed) astronaut and returned to Earth on January 15th. This left one US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts on board the station. Crew 12 with four astronauts could launch to the station as early as Feb.11.

— International Space Station Update: Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 | NASA on Youtube

Press conference about the early return of the Crew 11 due to a medical concern with one of the astronauts.

** ISS astronauts complete change of command ahead of Crew-11 medical evacuation | VideoFromSpace

Ahead of the early departure of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 from the International Space Station, due to a medical issue, a change of command ceremony was conducted on Jan. 12, 2026.

** SpaceX Crew-11 undocking and departure | SciNews

SpaceX’s Crew-11 “Endeavour” Crew Dragon spacecraft, with NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui (油井 亀美也), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov (Олег Платонов), autonomously undocked from the space-facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module, on 14 January 2026, at 22:20 UTC (17:20 EST). Crew-11 is SpaceX’s eleventh operational mission for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The “Endeavour” Crew Dragon previously supported NASA’s Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions.

** NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11: Science in Orbit |  NASA Johnson

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission with agency astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov returned to Earth after a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. During their stay, Cardman, Fincke, and Yui contributed more than 850 hours of research to help prepare humanity for the return to the Moon and future missions to Mars, while improving life back on Earth..

** NASA Astronaut Discusses Life In Space With Columbia Space Initiative – Friday, January 23, 2026 | NASA Video

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Chris Williams discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview Jan. 23 with the Columbia Space Initiative at Columbia University. Williams is in the midst of a long-duration mission aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.
Join NASA as we go forward to the Moon and on to Mars — discover the latest on Earth, the Solar System and beyond with a weekly update in your inbox.

=== Commercial space habitats

** Axiom Space

— Axiom reports on progress in development of the thermal control system:

— Update on Axiom station’s network system:

— An interview with Peggy Whitson, Axiom’s vice president of human spaceflight: Q&A: Axiom’s Peggy Whitson on space station assembly | Aerospace America – Jan.12.2026

If Axiom Space’s plans hold, the first commercial low-Earth orbit space station will be on orbit in 2028.

The Texas company is one of a handful of developers aiming to establish privately owned stations by the time the International Space Station is decommissioned in 2030. Plans call for the initial Axiom Station to be comprised of two modules, the PPTM — short for Payload Power Thermal Module — and a habitat module. The PPTM, which is to be shipped shortly to Houston for final assembly and integration, is slated to be launched in early 2028, with the second module following just months later. From there, Axiom aims to swiftly begin welcoming crew, Peggy Whitson, the company’s vice president of human spaceflight, told me in an interview.

** Blue Origin

— Blue tests docking system:

** Starlab – Voyager Technologies

— Starlab station aims for capability to replace ISS in scale, volume, and continuous human presence: Starlab: The Scale, Volume and Capability Needed to Truly Replace the ISS | Voyager Technologies – Jan.27.2026

— Starlab’s role in development of commercial space economy: Starlab: The Commercial Space Economy’s Essential Infrastructure | Voyager Technologies – Jan.21.2026

… Voyager’s CTO [Paul Tilghman] blog highlighted a critical shift: launch is no longer the bottleneck, but infrastructure and down mass are. Spaceflight is becoming destination and product driven. Without a station, commercial R&D pipelines stall, autonomous systems have nowhere to mature and microgravity manufacturing cannot scale beyond prototypes. The result is what Tilghman describes as the “capability throughput problem.” If industry cannot run missions frequently and reliably, it cannot grow.

Starlab is built to solve this. Designed for continuous human presence, modernized internal volume and simultaneous multi-industry operations, it enables predictable access, repeatable missions and the sustained utilization required for a real orbital marketplace, not episodic experiments.

”Delivered in a single launch, Starlab provides pressurized volume and R&D capacity equivalent to the ISS, ensuring the continuity of ongoing ISS research,” said Dr. Luis Zea, chief scientist, Starlab Space. “Beyond that, it introduces new, first-of-their-kind capabilities that enable exponential growth, unlock entirely new scientific and commercial opportunities, and establish Starlab as the foundational platform on which the next generation of space-based businesses and discoveries will be built.” …

See also One Station, Many Markets: How Starlab Unlocks the Full Commercial Space Economy | Voyager Technologies – Jan.14.2026.

— Starlab advocates for “a full-capability ISS-class station” continuously crewed:

— Voyager Technologies, the company developing the Starlab station, has earned a patent for optical device manufacturing in a microgravity environment: Voyager Secures Breakthrough Patent for Orbital Optical Communications Manufacturing | Voyager Technologies – Jan.14.2026

Voyager Technologies [NYSE: VOYG] has been awarded a patent for an extraterrestrial manufacturing method that produces larger, purer crystals essential to high-performance optical communications – the backbone of Earth’s data centers and the AI-driven global economy. By harnessing microgravity, the patented process delivers material performance beyond what is possible on Earth.

“Optical networks depend on fibers fabricated from crystal structures that are as perfect as materials science can make them,” said Dylan Taylor, chairman and CEO of Voyager Technologies. “This patent underscores our drive to use microgravity to deliver real benefits on Earth and beyond. Ultra-pure, wavelength-engineered crystals are the foundation for faster, cleaner and more resilient optical communications, whether in data centers on the ground or networks in orbit.”

The patented approach allows Voyager to grow crystals that precisely match a specific optical wavelength, producing only the desired signal band with no interference or unintended spectral artifacts. This breakthrough enables unprecedented performance, where higher crystal quality directly improves signal stability and reduces error rates in high-bandwidth systems that support AI and cloud computing.

The patented process uses long-duration microgravity to grow larger and purer crystals free of defects that typically form when crystals grow in stacked layers on Earth. Voyager’s method keeps all seed material in constant motion during ground handling to prevent premature formation, with growth triggered only after reaching microgravity.

Voyager will fly samples to the International Space Station in spring 2026 to validate the method with a grant through the ISS National Laboratory. Patent partners include experts at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, New York University and Universities Space Research Association.

See also Voyager Details its Plans for In-Space Manufacturing | Payload Space – Jan.16.2026 .

— Mitsubishi reserves Starlab capacity: Mitsubishi Corporation Joins Starlab as Major Space Station Customer | Voyager Technologies – Jan.12.2026

Starlab Space LLC today announced that Mitsubishi Corporation has reserved and pre-purchased capacity on Starlab’s commercial space station, becoming a foundational customer while simultaneously increasing their investment in the company and joining Starlab’s Board of Directors through representative Issei Shinohara.

The expanded partnership includes acquisition of usage rights for designated payload volume and utilization of on orbit laboratory facilities on Starlab, positioning Mitsubishi to accelerate space-based research opportunities for Japanese institutions. This customer commitment is accompanied by an expanded equity partnership that brings additional investment to support Starlab’s development.

—  More about Mitsubishi and Starlab:

— Voyager Technologies initiates the VISTA– Voyager Institute for Space, Technology and Advancement – at Ohio State University. VISTA is a

first-of-its-kind U.S. campus dedicated to in-space research, manufacturing and services. Here, the brightest minds in aerospace, robotics, AI and science converge in a dynamic ecosystem built to accelerate discovery, collaboration and commercialization.

Whether you’re an established aerospace company, a fast-moving startup, a leading academic institution, or a government agency, VISTA offers the infrastructure, partnerships and momentum to take your innovations to space.

With access to the International Space Station and future commercial platforms, VISTA tenants can develop the next generation of space-based technologies and services across civil, commercial and national security markets.
As an in-space, platform-agnostic ecosystem, the Science Park will drive advancements across industries and tackle some of the greatest challenges in space-based civil, commercial and national security.

See also:

** VAST

— Update on Haven-1 development and launch:

See also Vast Advances Haven‑1 Into Integration Phase — an update by VAST | VAST – Jan.20.2026

… Haven-1 is an integral part of the company’s hardware-rich development approach that is putting flight-hardware and systems through rigorous ground and in-space testing to accelerate learning, reduce technical and schedule risk, and unlock new commercial and government capabilities in LEO. Haven-1 is designed to expand access to space and provide an affordable platform for microgravity research, manufacturing, and both national and international space infrastructure.

The first phase of Haven-1 integration includes installation of the station’s pressurized fluid systems, including thermal control, life support, and propulsion system tubes, and component trays and tanks. These systems will undergo pressure, leak, and functional testing. The second phase of integration will incorporate avionics, guidance, navigation and control systems, and air revitalization hardware. The third and final phase will complete the vehicle with crew habitation and interior closeouts, exterior micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shielding, thermal radiator installation, and solar array integration, bringing Haven-1 to a fully flight-ready configuration. Vast remains focused on completing integration and conducting a suite of system environmental tests at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility later in 2026.

Based on the current integration timeline, Vast is updating its schedule for Haven-1 to be ready to launch Q1 2027. Haven-1 is contracted to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. With each milestone, the team gains more data and greater certainty, enabling timelines to become progressively more precise. Haven-1 represents a true zero-to-one development, and as Vast moves on to its second, third, and subsequent stations, schedule precision will continue to improve as systems, processes, and integration maturity increases. Throughout this process, human safety remains the team’s top priority, with development and manufacturing pace carefully balanced to ensure mission integrity. …

See also The first commercial space station, Haven-1, is now undergoing assembly for launch | Ars Technica – Jan.20.2026.

— Interview with Vast’s chief of astronaut training: The astronaut training tourists to fly in the world’s first commercial space station | MIT Technology Review – Jan.12.2026

** More commercial space station articles, news, etc:

=== Chinese space habitats

** Shenzhou-21 Crew Continues with Science Experiments, Life in Orbit | CCTV Video News Agency

Shenzhou-21 Crew Continues with Science Experiments, Life in Orbit

** China Registers Smooth Progress in Space Science Research on Space Station in 2025 | CCTV Video News Agency

China registered smooth progress in carrying out space science research, application experiment and technology test projects aboard the country’s space station in orbit, covering multiple fields such as life sciences, microgravity physics, and new space technologies and applications, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU), the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

=== Russian space habitats

** Update on next-generation Russian space station:

=== Lunar habitation

** An overview of the The Commercial Lunar Economy Field Guide: A Vision for Industry on the Moon in the Next Decade, a US Air Force publication edited by Michael Nayak: A vision for industry on the Moon | Space Settlement Progress – Jan.16.2026

For decades, lunar exploration has followed a “Flags and Footprints” paradigm—symbolic, government-funded missions that are entirely self-reliant, bringing every gram of power, water, and data storage from Earth. The Field Guide argues that this approach, while scientifically valuable and a display of national pride, is economically unsustainable at the current “million-dollar-per-kilogram” cost of delivery. This is in alignment with the EO which calls for enhancing cost-effectiveness of exploration architectures while establishing initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030 to ensure a sustained American presence on the Moon, which will lay the groundwork for the exploration of Mars.

** Startup company GRU Space aims to build a hotel on the Moon:

GRU builds off-planet habitats using in-situ resource utilization technology, turning local material into building material. Our first habitat will be a hotel on the Moon for space tourists, aiming to open 2032.

In 2029, our demo mission will turn lunar regolith into bricks and demonstrate our modular pressurized habitat system. A second mission will begin laying the hotel’s foundation in a lunar cave. A third mission will open the first lunar hotel.

We don’t stop at Moon hotels. GRU’s long-term plan:

1. Build the first hotel on the Moon. GRU solves off‑world surface habitation.
2. Build America’s first Moon base: roads, mass drivers, warehouses, and physical infrastructure.
3. Repeat on Mars and build the first cities there.
4. Own property on the Moon and Mars as these economies grow.
5. Reinvest profits into resource utilization systems on the Moon, Mars, asteroids, and beyond—reaching our final form: Galactic Resource Utilization.

GRU Space is backed by investors in SpaceX + Anduril, and is part of Nvidia’s Inception program.

See also:

Lunar related articles, news, etc:

=== Space settlement

** Space Architecture and Human Space Living with Melody Yashar | The Space Show,  Broadcast 4484, Friday, January 9, 2026

Our discussion started with a focus on Melodie’s transition from architectural engineering to space architecture, particularly her work on 3D printing concepts for Mars habitats and her journey through various organizations including NASA and Icon. The discussion covered technical challenges and opportunities in space colonization, including the development of lunar and Martian habitats, autonomous systems, and robotic construction capabilities. The panel explored the broader implications of space exploration, including technological benefits for Earth industries and the importance of long-term projects in advancing space settlement goals.

Read on Substack

** Stopping Power! Why Radiation Shielding Is More Than Just Lead Bricks.  | Scott Manley

Radiation Shielding is a standard trope in storytelling, and you may well have heard about different radiation types and how materials work differently. However it’s more complicated that you think, sometimes a shield that’s good for one source is bad for others, and this comes down to the physics of radiation interacting with matter. So here’s an overview of how radiation shielding works and what’s going on at the subatomic level.

=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:

=== Earth views from ISS

** ISS views with Pink Floyd music:

** Earth and Moon views from the International Space Station – Ignis mission timelapses | European Space Agency (ESA) on Youtube

ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski captured these stunning timelapse videos during his 20-day stay aboard the International Space Station as part of Axiom Mission 4, known as Ignis. Filmed from the Cupola – the Space Station’s iconic seven-windowed observation module – the footage showcases breathtaking views of Earth and the Moon from orbit.

Launched on 25 June 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Sławosz conducted 13 experiments proposed by Polish institutions in collaboration with ESA, plus three ESA-led investigations. These spanned human research, materials science, biology, biotechnology and technology demonstrations.

The Ax-4 mission marks the second commercial human spaceflight for an ESA project astronaut. Ignis was sponsored by the Polish government and supported by ESA, the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MRiT) and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA). 

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)

** Lightning in storm over Milan, Italy as seen from ISS 250 miles above | NASA

NASA Image of the Day, Jan.7.2026:

NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers captured this image of lightning while orbiting aboard the International Space Station more than 250 miles above Milan, Italy on July 1, 2025. Storm observations from space station help scientists study Earth’s upper atmosphere, which can improve weather models and protect communication systems and aircraft. Space station crew take photographs of Earth that record how the planet changes over time due to human activity and natural events. This record allows scientists to monitor disasters and direct response on the ground and study phenomena.

NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers captured this image of lightning while orbiting aboard the International Space Station more than 250 miles above Milan, Italy. Image Credit: NASA/Nichole Ayers

** Watching fireworks from the ISS:

** A sunset from the ISS: Watch the Breathtaking Beauty of a Sunset from the ISS| DailyGalaxy – Jan.28.2026

NASA (Jan. 3, 2025) — “An orbital sunset silhouettes the cloud tops above the Pacific Ocean as the atmosphere along the horizon fades from orange to white, then to blue, in this photograph taken from the International Space Station while it orbited 262 miles above Earth.” Credit: NASA/Chris Williams

** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) | NASA

Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.

The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8

Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

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ISS after undocking of STS-132

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International Space Station: An insight into the history, development,
collaboration, production and role of the
permanently manned earth-orbiting complex (Owners’ Workshop Manual)