NASA released its official Request for Proposals on October 9, 2026, inviting American aerospace companies to submit bids for commercial space stations with a maximum potential value of $34.06 billion as the agency prepares to retire the International Space Station around the end of the decade.
The International Space Station has hosted continuous human presence since November 2000, operating far beyond its original fifteen-year design life after construction began in 1998. With retirement targeted for the end of 2030 or early 2031, NASA released its final Request for Proposals on October 9, 2026, to secure privately owned and operated orbital facilities capable of succeeding the aging laboratory.
Proposals for the multi-award, firm-fixed-price contracts are due by December 8, 2026, with initial awards anticipated in spring 2027. The procurement carries a total potential ceiling value of approximately $34.06 billion over a base operating period and subsequent contract options extending through April 2042.
NASA Strategy for Commercial Outposts in Low Earth Orbit
Agency leadership has emphasized that the United States intends to maintain an unbroken orbital footprint. In alignment with the President’s National Space Policy, NASA is committed to maintaining a sustained American presence in low Earth orbit long after the International Space Station retires,
said in the agency’s announcement. Isaacman noted that commercial stations will support ongoing research and training while allowing the agency to focus resources on deep-space missions.
We will continue to need a place to conduct research, develop technologies, train crews, and prepare for missions to the Moon and Mars. Commercial space stations may provide that capability while creating new opportunities for American industry and allowing NASA to concentrate more of our resources on the near-impossible missions ahead.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
The competition follows a series of industry consultations, including two Requests for Information issued in March 2026, a draft solicitation published in July 2026, and an industry day with one-on-one meetings. Isaacman noted that the agency adjusted its approach after listening to industry feedback regarding economic feasibility. Under the current framework, NASA intends to select two or more contractors for early development, followed by competitive task orders for final design, evaluation, and certification.
Phased Contract Structure and Cost Projections
Phase 1 winners are guaranteed a minimum of $100 million for initial design, engineering, and development work. Subsequent phases will involve selection for station construction, testing, and operational services.
For Phase 3, NASA commits to purchasing at least four crewed missions and eight supply shipments spread over the first four years of station operation. The agency’s solicitation sets indicative 2030 reference prices of approximately $325 million for a four-person crewed flight and $300 million for a cargo mission, with rates subject to annual increases. Operating a schedule of two crewed flights and four cargo deliveries annually implies approximately $1.85 billion in yearly transportation costs alone.
Competing Industry Teams and Commercial Contenders
Several commercial groups are vying for the upcoming awards, each pursuing a model where NASA serves as an anchor customer rather than the sole owner. Axiom Space, Starlab, Vast, and Blue Origin-led Orbital Reef have all floated competing designs ranging from single-module outposts to larger multi-module facilities.
Vast is preparing its single-module Haven-1 station for launch as early as 2027 while planning the larger Haven-2. While success in the competition to secure the orbital replacement for the International Space Station is not guaranteed for Starlab, a win represents the premier avenue for investors to capitalize on this initiative, given that several competing teams have not pursued initial public offerings.
The SpaceX Deorbit Vehicle and Retirement Timeline
While commercial competitors design their replacements, the retirement of the International Space Station proceeds under a separate operational timeline. A SpaceX-built US Deorbit Vehicle, procured in June 2024 under a contract worth up to $843 million, will execute the final burn to guide the station into a remote stretch of the South Pacific Ocean.
The spacecraft is a modified Dragon featuring 46 Draco thrusters and approximately 35,000 pounds of propellant. NASA plans to launch and dock the vehicle to the station’s forward port in mid-2029, roughly 18 months before the final reentry burn scheduled for late 2030 or early 2031.
A Government Accountability Office report notes that NASA has built a formal decision point into the timeline. In 2027, the agency will evaluate whether to proceed with launching the deorbit vehicle in 2029 or extend station operations if commercial replacement facilities face delays.