Space Policy Edition: A Commercial Future for the Space Station?

After announcing it intends to divest from the International Space Station in 2025, NASA quietly released a new report on its transition plans, laying out a series of principles that will set the future of U.S. astronauts in low-Earth orbit. Can a private entity really take over the space station? Where did this idea come from anyway? Will there be new commercial space stations in the near future, and will they serve NASA's needs? Also, the confirmation of Jim Bridenstine as NASA Administrator.

A new episode of Space Policy Edition is posted on the first Friday of each month. Let us know what you think! Comment on this page or write to [email protected].

Related Reading and References:

• Help make the Planetary Society Space Policy team even more effective. http://planetary.org/advocacy
• ISS Transition Report (PDF)
• Goodbye, ISS. Hello, private space stations?
• Industrial Space Facility
• Bigelow Aerospace B330 commercial space station
• Axiom Commercial space station