SpaceX wins contract to launch the Starlab space station, to be delivered by Starship

SpaceX has won a contract to launch a commercial space station partially built by the European company Airbus SE, writes Bloomberg.

According to the contract, the station will be delivered to space by a Starship rocket, which is still being tested. The amount of this agreement has not yet been disclosed.

We are talking about the Starlab station from partners Airbus and Voyager Space Holdings, Inc. It is one of a number of private orbital space stations being developed as outposts for research and commerce in the next decade.

Built and operated by companies in partnership with NASA, the orbiting laboratories are intended to replace the outdated International Space Station. It is due to be decommissioned in 2031.

Starlab is planned to be launched fully assembled in just one flight.

Voyager has been leading the development of Starlab for several years. Its concept was one of those selected by NASA for funding in 2021. Voyager’s proposal received the largest financial support from NASA – $160 million. Last year, it became known that Voyager Space had created a joint venture with Airbus to develop Starlab.