Axiom Space plans to launch two modules of its commercial space station in 2028 and 2029, according to company CEO Jonathan Cirtain, who spoke during the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Turkey. Cirtain explained that manufacturing of the two modules had reached the completion stage and that the station would be in orbit and operational before the International Space Station is decommissioned, a date not expected to be earlier than 2030.
The plan comes as the space industry prepares to shift from reliance on the International Space Station to commercial services in low Earth orbit. Cirtain said Axiom Space is using its own funding to build its station while awaiting a request from NASA to provide services that would replace some of the International Space Station’s functions.
Why does this development matter?
The stated goal is not limited to providing accommodation or conducting experiments in orbit; it is also linked to using microgravity to develop products and processes that may be difficult to carry out on Earth. Cirtain cited research related to leukemia treatment, saying that some drugs and pharmaceutical crystals may achieve better properties when produced in space. However, the source did not provide details about the name of the drug or any specific commercial or clinical results, so these benefits cannot be considered broadly proven based on the statement alone.
Axiom Space believes that the International Space Station has spent approximately 25 years demonstrating the potential of microgravity, and that the next phase is to convert this potential into commercial production. This means that the success of commercial stations will depend on their ability to host repeated experiments and turn their results into manufacturable products, not merely on reaching orbit.
A crowded orbit imposes operational constraints
Cirtain linked the expansion of commercial activity in orbit to the challenge of managing the growing use of low Earth orbit. He said that the increasing number of vehicles would require more sophisticated methods to reduce the risks of collisions and collision-avoidance maneuvers, warning that orbital saturation could be reached, increasing operational risks. He also distinguished between Axiom Station’s plans and defense missions that the U.S. government might conduct in space, but stressed that orbital debris is a factor that must be taken into account when operating vehicles.
Cirtain also discussed geopolitical competition among the United States, Europe, Japan, and Canada over the exploration of the Moon and its resources, as well as a broader race to build a space economy that benefits from microgravity and resources beyond Earth. These statements reflect the company’s direction, but the article does not include details about the station’s complete construction schedule, the final number of modules, or launch arrangements.
Research cooperation with Turkish universities
The company said it is working through an initiative called the “University Alliance” with universities in Turkey to develop research programs. The cooperation includes helping researchers design research payloads, convert an experiment conducted on Earth into an experiment that can be carried out in space, and then operate it aboard the station.
According to Cirtain, the breadth of Turkey’s space ecosystem could open additional opportunities for cooperation between Axiom Space and local industry. However, the source did not identify the participating universities or specify the nature of the experiments or the dates on which they would be sent into orbit, meaning that the scope of this cooperation and its practical results still require additional information.