---
title: Commercial Space Stations
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/apogee/usa__commercial-space-stations"
hub: apogee
summary: "Vast's Haven-1, Axiom Space's modules, and Blue Origin's Orbital Reef are competing to replace the ISS with commercial space stations, with the first private modules targeting launch by 2026-2027."
---

# Commercial Space Stations

Vast's Haven-1, Axiom Space's modules, and Blue Origin's Orbital Reef are competing to replace the ISS with commercial space stations, with the first private modules targeting launch by 2026-2027.
- Technology Readiness Level: 5/9
- Impact: 3/5
- Investment: 3/5
With the International Space Station approaching end-of-life (currently planned for 2030), NASA selected multiple commercial providers to develop replacement stations. Axiom Space is attaching commercial modules to the ISS before eventually detaching as a free-flying station. Vast's Haven-1 targets launch as the first single-module commercial station. Blue Origin's Orbital Reef is a multi-module station developed in partnership with Sierra Space.

Commercial space stations are designed to serve multiple markets: government research, pharmaceutical manufacturing, tourism, media production, and materials science. Unlike the ISS, which costs NASA approximately $3-4 billion per year to operate, commercial stations will sell access to multiple customers, potentially reducing per-user costs dramatically.

The transition from government-owned to commercially-operated orbital infrastructure represents a fundamental shift in how humanity uses space. It also creates a commercial demand signal for frequent crew and cargo launches, space manufacturing capabilities, and orbital services — building the foundations of a space economy.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/apogee/usa__commercial-space-stations)