A new commercial space station is being designed to feel “less like a machine”, as competition heats up to replace the ageing International Space Station.
Starlab, being built by Voyager Space and Airbus, is working with design company Journey and hospitality company Hilton to shape the interior of the station, scheduled for launch in 2029.
The International Space Station (ISS) has been operational since 2000, with Nasa, Russian and other international astronauts who have continuously occupied the outpost.
But the station is set to retire in 2030, and Nasa is backing projects such as Starlab, Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef and Axiom Space’s Axiom Station to maintain a US presence in low-Earth orbit, otherwise, China’s Tiangong would be the only operational station. Vast Space, not part of Nasa’s programme, is also developing its Haven stations.
Brad Henderson, chief commercial officer at Starlab told The National that a space station should have a “sense of place”.
“Journey is helping us ask the right questions: where will people gather at the end of a long day? How do you create a psychological balance between work and rest in microgravity? They're real, daily considerations for astronauts spending months in orbit, not abstract design challenges,” he said.
“One area where this really comes through is in the design of communal zones. Instead of sterile corridors, these areas are being shaped as spaces that invite collaboration, reflection and routine.”
Journey is a global design agency whose portfolio includes the Sphere in Las Vegas, the Empire State Building observatory in New York and the Sun Princess Dome for Princess Cruises.
It is bringing hospitality and environmental design experience into the station and will combine it with decades of aerospace and astronaut insights from Voyager Space and Airbus.
“That partnership allows us to test concepts through human evaluations and analogue environments,” said Mr Henderson.
“Journey observes and adapts, and we help shape scenarios that mimic the operational tempo and physical demands of space flight.”
Hilton is contributing its experience in comfort, wellness and service. Together, they are exploring how elements like lighting, acoustics and personalised storage can support rest and recovery, something critical for both physical and mental health in long-duration missions.
Technology is also being built into Starlab from the start, with autonomous operations that would help improve the crew experience.
Starlab has selected Palantir Technologies to handle the station’s data and software systems.
The company will create virtual models of the station, known as “digital twins”, to track its performance, forecast maintenance work and manage resources.
The tools are intended to support mission planning and routine operations to reduce workload on the crew.
On designing for microgravity, Mr Henderson said: “Instead of simply minimising the disorientation of microgravity, we’re asking how the environment can embrace it. How can we guide movement, orient the body, or signal zones without relying on gravity?”
How Starlab compares to other private stations
Unlike the ISS, which was assembled in orbit, Starlab is designed to launch fully assembled on a single SpaceX Starship flight.
It will consist of a habitat and laboratory module, as well as a service module for propulsion and power. The station will have about half the habitable volume of the ISS but is expected to match its scientific capacity.
The other private stations also have a different design approach, Orbital Reef’s mixed-use model to Vast’s smaller, rapidly launched platforms.
Vast Space’s Haven-1 started as a single-module station designed for short-duration missions, with plans to expand into Haven-2 by docking additional modules and including artificial gravity.
Axiom Space is building a modular station that will first attach to the ISS before becoming independent, with an expected launch date of no earlier than 2027.
Starlab, in comparison, is much larger and fully integrated from the start, requiring SpaceX’s Starship for launch because no other rocket is powerful enough to carry its single, large module into orbit.
Starlab has passed several Nasa safety and design reviews and is building a full-scale mock-up for astronaut testing.
“Our goal is to build a station where astronauts can carry out critical research while living in an environment that supports their well-being,” Mr Henderson said.
“It’s about making sure they can perform at their best, day after day, in one of the most challenging environments imaginable.”
